The Deputy will be aware that in May this year my Department approved a once-off emergency measure worth €4.7m to support the stabilisation of the Gaeltacht Irish summer college sector.
The measure followed the cancellation, on 20th April 2020, of Irish summer college courses by my Department in the interests of protecting public health during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Under the stabilisation package, up to €3.1m is being directed at enabling college authorities to refund fees/deposits to parents in full in respect of 2020 courses, while a further €1.6m is being allocated towards supporting the c. 700 certified Gaeltacht householders who normally provide accommodation to the approx. 26,000 students who attend one of the 42 recognised colleges during the summer months. The majority of this funding has now been paid out by my Department.
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.
The approval of this stability initiative took account of the need to address without delay, issues around cash-flow within the summer college sector, which has significantly hampered colleges’ ability to adequately refund fees/deposits to parents.
It was a condition of approval for the stabilisation initiative that colleges seeking assistance would be required to refund in full the fees/deposits paid by students, and that no support would be provided in respect of students who opted to transfer their fees/deposits to courses in 2021 or towards online courses. This was to avoid potential for deadweight supports in any assistance provided by the State.
With regard to accommodation providers, the standard rate payable under the stabilisation package is up to 40% of the daily payment normally payable by my Department under Scéim na bhFoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge (SFG). For registered households, this works out at €4 per student per night (i.e. 40% of €10) while for residential colleges/hostels the rate is €2 per student per night (i.e. 40% of €5).
In seeking to make this payment, my Department has taken due account of the significant investment made by householders and colleges in meeting the standards (e.g. fire safety compliance and additional sleeping space) required for recognition under the terms of the scheme.
Based, not least, on the broadly positive feedback regarding the measure from relevant stakeholders within the Irish summer colleges sector, I am satisfied that the measure is proving to be effective and I look forward to working towards the safe return of Irish summer colleges in the future, and the ongoing contribution of our Gaeltacht households and colleges to the development of the Irish language and to sustaining Gaeltacht communities.
