County Clir. and elected Údarás Board member, Seosamh Ó Cuaig, has launched a blistering attack on Minister Éamon Ó Cuív following the announcement last week by the Minister that he had allocated extra funding in the region of €2.3 million to the Gaeltacht body. Such announcements, Cllr Ó Cuaig told Glór Chonamara, are merely being used to disguise the massive cuts in funding experienced by Údarás since Mr. Ó Cuiv assumed responsibility for that organisation in 2002.

"Figures provided to me by the Department of Finance prove conclusively that the Minister has been systematically starving Údarás of funding since the day he anived in office. These announcements are all window dressing as the Minister tries, often all too sueeessfully, to pretend to the people of the Gaeltacht that he is a friend to Údarás."

Last week, a statement issued on behalf of the Minister announced the his department was allocating €2.35 million in additional funding - €2m for capital expenditure and an additional €325,OOO in respect of current expenditure to Údarás na Gaeltachta within the current year. "This additional capital will be spent on building proposals and on grants while the additional current provision will go to child care facilities, youth services and co-operative associations", says the Minister his statement.

But Ó Cuaig is demanding to know what is "additional" about such funding when, he claims, Minister Ó Cuív has slashed the Údars grant by €19 million in 2005 alone.

"As soon as I saw the Minister's statement I contacted the Department of Finance and requested figures from it regarding overall Government spending and the amounts being allocated to Údarás. The Minister cannot get away from the stark reality of these figures. He is bamboozling the people of Connemara

"In 2002, the year Minister Ó Cuív assumed reponsibility for the Gaeltacht Affairs, total Govemment spending, current and capital, amounted to €35,808 billion. In 2005, the Government spend had risen to f46.685 billion whidh represents an increase in spending of 27.58%.

"In 2002, Oireachtas grants to Údarás amounted to f42.975 million. I, in 2005 the Údarás allocation from Oireadhtas had indreased by the same 27.58%, then Údarás could have expedited to receive funding in the order of €54,827.505.

"But instead Údarás got, including the latest so-called increase trumpeted by the Minister, €36,018,00. What was received amounts to a cutback in funding of a massive €18,809,505 in real terms.

"Minister ÓCuív, with the help of a pack of loyal cheerleaders, has managed to convince some people that all of this amounts to progress. The Údarás is the democratically elected development organisation for the Gaeltacht. Is there any other country in the world where a Government minister would get away with slashing the funds of a development authority while trying to convince them that he is doing this in the interests of the population of the region they serve?"

Baile