Minister planning to scrap Údarás elections

ÚDARÁS NA Gaeltachta is to retain its functions as the body primarily responsible for the economic and cultural development of Gaeltacht regions, but its board wll no longer be elected by the community.

Minister of State for Gaeltacht Affairs Dinny McGinley outlined the Government’s plans for the future of Údarás and the implementation of the 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language at a press conference in Fál Carrach, Co Donegal yesterday.

Speaking in Irish, he said the future of the agency was secure. While the “status quo” would be retained, he said retention of the agency’s core functions would be subject to a number of conditions.

Údarás will no longer have a board elected by the community but instead will have to operate with a “significantly” reduced board made up of appointees.

Under existing arrangements, Údarás has 20 board members, 17 of whom are elected by the community and three who are appointed.

It is envisaged the new board will have between 10 and 17 members. A number of board members will be nominated by the Minister and the remainder will be nominated by county councils in counties with Gaeltacht regions.

Mr McGinley said a mechanism would be developed to facilitate co-operation with non-Gaeltacht enterprise agencies. He outlined plans to implement the strategy for the Irish language and said the Gaeltacht would be defined by broader linguistic criteria.

Údarás said the plan was a “vote of confidence” in it. It said it hoped to play a central role in co-operating with enterprise agencies.

Conradh na Gaeilge’s Julian de Spáinn said the decision to appoint the board would “break the connection” between Údarás and the community it serves.

Fianna Fáil’s Gaeltacht affairs spokesman Michael Kitt said the move to end the election of board members was a “direct affront to democracy”.