Colm Brophy
Question:480. Deputy Colm Brophy asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the supports that exist for naíonraí; and the estimated cost of increasing those supports by 5%. [53770/19]
View answerWednesday, 18 December 2019
Questions (480)
Written answers
It is against the backdrop of the relevant measures set out in the Government’s Action Plan for the Irish language - Plean Gníomhaíochta don Ghaeilge 2018-2022 - that both organisations Comhar Naíonraí na Gaeltachta and Gaeloideachas operate in support of early years provision through Irish both in Gaeltacht regions and nationally respectively.
The following table sets out the current level of exchequer funding being provided by my Department to both organisations, via Údarás na Gaeltachta and Foras na Gaeilge respectively. The table also sets out the estimated costs of an increase of 5% in relation to this funding:
|
- |
Amount per annum |
Increase of 5% |
|
Gaeloideachas - national support* |
€708,562 |
€35,428 |
|
Údarás na Gaeltachta - Administration support for Comhar Naíonraí na Gaeltachta (CNNG) |
€535,000 |
€26,750 |
|
Additional Departmental funding to CNNG for the implementation of further key actions in support of the language planning process and the Policy on Gaeltacht Education 2017-2022. |
€435,000 |
€21,750 |
|
Total |
€1,678,562 |
€83,928 |
* Gaeloideachas (funded by Foras na Gaeilge), includes expenditure relating to all areas of Irish medium education, Immersion Education and Irish Medium Preschool Education outside the Gaeltacht, on an all-island basis.
In the interest of completeness, a further measure in support of the early years sector was undertaken by my Department when the maximum capital grant payable under the Community and Language Supports Programme for the upgrade or development of early-years facilities in Gaeltacht regions has been increased from 80% to 95%. Since its introduction in 2018 five facilities has benefited from the increase. As with all requests for assistance under this programme, all applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis and having regard to the demands on the programme as a whole.
It should also be noted that the above funding supports do not include the supports provided for the sector inter alia, by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs under their relevant funding programmes.