Under Scéim na bhFoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge, Gaeltacht households can apply for approval to my Department to accommodate students attending recognised Irish courses in Gaeltacht colleges. In general terms, such applications are generally referred to my Department through the local Gaeltacht college, following extensive enquiries beforehand with regard to the various requirements under the scheme – for example, that Irish is the spoken language of the household; that all members of the family are fluent Irish speakers; that all members of the family, 16 years or older, are vetted with An Garda Síochána in accordance with the appropriate provisions of Children First; and that the household meets the required level of compliance with the requisite fire safety management measures.
The number of new households that were approved over the last 5 years is set out in tabular form. I am advised that there are no live applications currently on hand. For completeness, the overall number of approved households providing accommodation for students in the last 5 years is also set out as follows.
Counties
|
No. of new applications granted
|
No. of new applications granted
|
No. of new applications granted
|
No. of new applications granted
|
No. of new applications granted
|
|
2010
|
2011
|
2012
|
2013
|
2014
|
Donegal
|
6
|
4
|
1
|
1
|
8
|
Mayo
|
5
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
Galway
|
21
|
20
|
17
|
17
|
14
|
Kerry
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
Cork
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
Waterford
|
4
|
0
|
4
|
1
|
1
|
Meath
|
0
|
5
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
Total
|
37
|
30
|
25
|
19
|
24
|
Counties
|
Total number of approved households
|
Total number of approved households
|
Total number of approved households
|
Total number of approved households
|
Total number of approved households
|
|
2010
|
2011
|
2012
|
2013
|
2014
|
Donegal
|
159
|
154
|
145
|
143
|
160
|
Mayo
|
43
|
43
|
42
|
41
|
37
|
Galway
|
364
|
379
|
377
|
376
|
337
|
Kerry
|
52
|
48
|
48
|
48
|
45
|
Cork
|
12
|
15
|
10
|
11
|
14
|
Waterford
|
20
|
19
|
19
|
16
|
11
|
Meath
|
7
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
9
|
Total
|
657
|
665
|
649
|
644
|
613
|