Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 July 2021
582. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the process and budgetary provision for capital funding for Gaeltacht sports clubs; the eligibility criteria; the amounts available; the match funding requirements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41302/21]
View answerMy Department provides financial support for the construction or upgrade of community, language and recreational facilities including the purchase of equipment, in Gaeltacht areas through An Clár Tacaíochtaí Pobail agus Teanga (The Community and Language Support Programme). This finance is provided to further support the implementation of the language planning process which is now underway across all 26 of the Gaeltacht Language Planning Areas. The support being provided under the programme also serves to underpin the ongoing implementation of the Policy on Gaeltacht Education which is being spearheaded by the Department of Education.
The total funding allocation for An Clár Tacaíochtaí Pobail agus Teanga included in Programme C of my Department’s Vote for 2021 amounts to €2.5m. The information requested by the Deputy on the eligibility criteria, amounts available etc can be found in the information leaflet on my Department's website: www.gov.ie/en/service/d02ef-community-and-language-support-programme/. In general the maximum funding provided under the programme equates to 80% of the allowable costs, 95% in the case of pre-school facilities and 90% in the case of qualifying projects on Gaeltacht off-shore islands.
It should also be noted that all of the Department's capital programmes as they relate to the Irish language in the Gaeltacht all support the systematic implementation of both the Governments' Action Plan for the Irish Language (Plean Gníomhaíochta 2018-2022) and the overarching 20-Year Strategy for the Irish language 2010-2030.
