Cork Gaeltacht residents staged a protest to highight concerns over the amalgamation of two groups providing support to Gaeltacht areas in Baile Búirne last night.
A number of concerned citizens of Gaeltacht Mhúscraí which represents more than 4.000 residents of the five Gaeltacht villages in Cork, attended a meeting in Óstán Ghobnatan to make their views known to Údarás na Gaeltachta chief executive Pádraig Ó hÁoláin.
The meeting is one of a series of 10 information events taking place in Gaeltacht areas nationwide to brief the public on Údarás plans for the year, including economic, social and cultural development programmes.
Residents presented a letter to Mr Ó hÁoláin outlining their concerns over Department of Community, Rural and Gaéltacht Affairs proposals to bring the community development agency Meitheal Forbartha na Gaéltachta (MFG) under the auspices of Údarás.
Residents fear the merger could hinder works currently carried out by MFG, which is run by a locally appointed board of directors.
"If core functions of Meitheal Mhúscraí, such as the Rural Social Scheme and the Local Development Programme are transferred to Údarás na Gaéltachta, our fear is that community control will be surrendered to a state body.
"We are also deeply concerned for the future of the Ionad Áise, which is centrally located in Réidh na nDoirí and is much used and valued, not just by one village or parish, but by the whole of Gaéltacht Mhúscraí" the letter stated.
Gearóid Ó hEalaithe, a member of a sub-committee of Údarás and a member of MFG Mhúscraí said there is no need for locally based schemes to be state run, when there is no direct saving involved for the department as MFG funding is made through the EU-backed LEADER Programme.
Anne Labrosse, a manager of programmes for MGF Mhúscraí, said the merger would give communities less control over the implementation of LEADER funding.
Siúbhan Nic Gréine, spokeswoman for Údarás said the plans to merge the two organisations were at an early stage.
"The department views this as a chance to make savings at an administration level. It is too early for us to know how much those savings amount to, we don't know the full implications of a merger as yet", she said.