Údarás na Gaeltachta grants down by €4m

GRANTS approved by Údarás na Gaeltachta slumped by almost €4 million to €11.8m last year but more than €700,000 were approved to companies and entities associated with members of the board.

In its annual report, An tÚdarás said that in cases of potential conflict of interest, board members did not receive board documentation on the proposed transactions nor did those members participate in or attend any board discussions on the matter.

The job creation body said it faces a challenging year due to the global economic climate. Chief executive Pádraig Ó hAoláin said: “It will be a major challenge to meet the development and employment targets but the level of business enquiries and projects in the pipeline for the first half of 2008 are positive indicators.”

Job losses increased from 891 in 2006 to 965 in 2007 while 1,038 jobs were created in Údarás-assisted companies in 2007 — down from 1,186 the previous year.

The role of Galway-based Údarás involves the creation and sustaining of jobs in the Gaeltacht regions.

Mr Ó hAoláin said significant progress was made in some job creation sectors, particularly services and modern manufacturing sectors.

He also said that Údarás depends to a large extent on income from the sale of its surplus assets, to complement the provision of state funding, to implement its capital programme and added that the sale of assets will prove challenging in the current and forecasted economic climate.