Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 July 2020
418. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to extend the stability fund for Gaeltacht Irish summer colleges to other foreign language colleges; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14082/20]
View answerMy Department understands that foreign language colleges, as private businesses, have access to a range of supports that are available to all small and medium enterprises that have been impacted by Covid 19. Details on the range of supports provided are available from the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation at the following website link
https://dbei.gov.ie/en/What-We-Do/Supports-for-SMEs/COVID-19-supports/Government-supports-to-COVID-19-impacted-businesses.html
In addition, the Wage Subsidy Scheme, operated by the Revenue Commissioners is also available as a support to continue to allow businesses affected by Covid 19 pay the wages of staff.
In May 2020, the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht announced the approval of a once-off emergency measure worth €4.7m to support the stabilisation of the Gaeltacht Irish summer college sector.
The stabilisation fund is being provided as a specific once-off measure with the overall objective of ensuring the ongoing viability of the sector thereby enabling it to continue to contribute to the systematic effort being made to support the language and Gaeltacht regions in line with the overarching objectives of the Government’s 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030 and the accompanying 5 -Year Action Plan for the Irish Language 2018-2022
