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Functions of Minister.
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2.— (1) Without prejudice to the generality of any other provision of this Act, or of any other enactment, conferring functions on the Minister, the functions of the Minister are and shall be deemed to always have been to—
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(a) support and promote community development,
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(b) support and promote voluntary activity and philanthropy,
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(c) support and promote rural development,
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(d) co-ordinate the implementation of the National Drugs Strategy (including matters relating to the allocation of services and facilities to counter drug misuse in areas of the State where such misuse is significantly higher than in other areas of the State),
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(e) support and promote the Irish language, including the co-ordination of policy in this regard, and the development of the Gaeltacht and the Islands,
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(f) support and promote North/South co-operation within the ambit of the Minister’s functions (including functions under paragraphs (a) to (e)), and
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(g) support and promote North/South co-operation in relation to Ulster Scots heritage, culture and language.
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(2) The Minister may—
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(a) with the consent of the Minister for Finance, develop and implement any scheme that, in the Minister’s opinion, supports or promotes any function of the Minister (including functions specified in subsection (1)),
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(b) maintain any scheme that, in the Minister’s opinion, supports or promotes any such function,
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(c) expand, with the consent of the Minister for Finance, any scheme.
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(3) The Minister shall not be, or be deemed to be, an employer, within the meaning of the Terms of Employment (Information) Acts 1994 and 2001, by virtue only of the provision of funding to a person or persons under any scheme.
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(4) Nothing in this section shall of itself be construed to—
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(a) prevent the Minister from terminating any scheme, or
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(b) limit the generality of any functions conferred (whether by an enactment or otherwise) on another Minister of State or Department or any other agency or body of State.
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