Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 20 January 2022
106. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the breakdown by county of the funding for Irish language groups; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2413/22]
View answerFunding in excess of €85m will be deployed in support of the Irish language through my Department next year.
Capital and current funding is provided outside the Gaeltacht as well aswithin the Gaeltacht.
1. Outside of Gaeltacht areas:
The purpose of the capital assistance provided under this fund is the promotion of the use of Irish in accordance with the objectives of the 20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030.
Community- based committees or organisations, which operate through Irish outside the Gaeltacht, are welcome to apply under the Department’s Irish Language Support Schemes. Funding is provided to assist with the costs of building/refurbishing Irish language centres and to purchase buildings for use as an Irish language centre and /or to purchase equipment for such venues.
Examples of capital expenditure outside the Gaeltacht regions in respect of 2021 is set out below:
|
Organisation |
Expenditure 2021 |
|
An Taibhdhearc |
€38,236 |
|
Togra Thomás Uí Mháille (OÉG) |
€29,372 |
|
Áras Mhic Amhlaigh |
€6,167 |
In terms of the current budget, this funding is awarded to various organisations both nationally and internationally. Some of this funding is directed at the teaching of Irish at 43 universities in Europe and North America and other funding is directed at various research institutions for the benefit of Irish speakers in general e.g. Abair text-to-speech synthesiser. These research projects may be based in one county but are intended to benefit all Irish speakers.
The current expenditure under this programme in 2021 was €6,234,170. Examples of current expenditure outside the Gaeltacht region but within Ireland in respect of 2021 are set out below:
|
C4 Scéimeanna Tacaíochta Gaeilge/Irish Language Support Schemes 2021 |
Expenditure in 2021 |
|
Glór na nGael (National Award) |
€20,000 |
|
Glór na nGael (Scéim Teanga Tí & Fondúireacht Sheosaimh Mhic Dhonnacha) |
€214,874 |
|
Taibhdhearc na Gaillimhe |
€384,595 |
|
TEG - Teastas Eorpach na Gaeilge, Ollscoil Má Nuad |
€177,500 |
|
Gaillimh le Gaeilge |
€157,460 |
|
Gnó Mhaigh Eo |
€138,538 |
|
Raidió Rí-Rá |
€75,000 |
|
NPLD (Network for Promoting Linguistic Diversity) |
€15,000 |
|
Oiliúint ar Líne i múineadh na Gaeilge d'Fhoghlaimeoirí Fásta (NUIM) |
€71,149 |
|
Gluaiseacht / Seó Bóthair (Conradh na Gaeilge) |
€140,000 |
|
Féile Pádraig |
€21,819 |
In the context of the unique selling point of the Irish language, as well as its potential benefit in business affairs, the organisations Gaillimh le Gaeilge, Gnó Mhaigh Eo and Baile Átha Cliath le Gaeilge work with relevant stakeholders to promote the Irish language within their various operational areas in the context of the language planning process.
2. Within the Gaeltacht:
The Community and Language Support Programme provides ongoing current and capital funding to support community organisations and committees throughout theGaeltacht that work for the Irish language and for the benefit of the Gaeltacht community, in line with the relevant actions contained in the Action Plan for the Irish Language - Plean Gníomhaíochta 2018-2022.
Capital expenditure which has taken place in each Gaeltacht region in respect of 2021 is set out below:
|
County |
Expenditure in 2021 |
|
Kerry |
€67,884 |
|
Donegal |
€199,161 |
|
Galway |
€570,306 |
|
Mayo |
€72,340 |
|
Other |
€4,215 |
|
Grand Total |
€913,906.00 |
Current expenditure in the Gaeltacht in respect of 2021 is set out below:
Current funding under the programme is provided to some 12 Gaeltacht organisations for the implementation of agreed work programmes and schemes. It is not possible to provide this information on a county by county basis, given the nature of the funding provided on a cross-Gaeltacht basis. The following table sets out expenditure in respect of 2021:
|
Programme – funding normally allocated on a 3 year basis |
Expenditure in 2021 |
|
Scéim ng gCampaí Samhraidh (Summer Camps Scheme |
€240,217 |
|
Scéim na gCúntóirí Teanga (Language Assistants’ Scheme) |
€1,259,499 |
|
Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge OÉG (Irish Language Academy, NUIG) |
€1,334,000 |
|
Clár Aclaíochta (Physical Exercise Programme) |
€90,297 |
|
Clár na gCluichí Gaelacha |
€174,452 |
|
Gaeltacht administration grants – Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne, Oideas Gael, Coláiste UISCE agus Comhordaitheoir Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne |
€200,043 €65,000 €85,140 €33,600 |
|
Administration grants for residential colleges - Scoil na Leanaí Port Láirge agus Scoil na nÓg Corcaigh. |
€34,258 |
|
Grand Total |
€3,516,506 |
Irish Summer Colleges
Due to cancellation of courses as a result of the pandemic, stability funding was provided to the Irish Language Summer Colleges sector in the Gaeltacht on an exceptional basis in 2020 and 2021. The breakdown of this funding in 2021 is as follows:
|
Gaeltacht |
2021 (Colleges, Community Halls and Households) |
|
Gaillimh agus na Mí |
€2,085,060.50 |
|
Dún na nGall |
€745,988 |
|
Corcaigh |
€66,695 |
|
Ciarraí |
€297,605 |
|
Maigh Eo |
€339,349 |
|
Port Láirge |
€85,630 |
|
Iomlán |
€3,620,327.50 |
|
CONCOS Admin. Grant (Umbrella Body) |
€32,665.92 |
Language Planning
Through my Department’s C10 subhead, ongoing current funding is provided to support the implementation of the Language Planning Process both within and outside theGaeltacht. It also provides ongoing current funding to organisations involved in the strengthening the Irish language and for the benefit of the Gaeltacht community, in line with the relevant actions contained in the Action Plan for the Irish Language - Plean Gníomhaíochta 2018-2022.
|
Programme |
Expenditure in 2021 €000 |
|
The Language Planning Process* |
2,651 |
|
Early Years Irish-Language Provision |
223 |
|
Language Transmission by the Family |
650 |
|
Traditional Arts |
545 |
|
Other |
31 |
|
Grand Total |
4,100 |
* Includes funding for Foras na Gaeilge to assist with the language planning process outside the Gaeltacht
Údarás na Gaeltachta
My Department alsoprovides both current and capital funding to Údarás na Gaeltachta, details of which are included in the table below:
|
Organisation |
Subhead (Description) |
2020 |
2021 |
|
Údarás na Gaeltachta |
C6 Current (Administration) |
10,852,000 |
13,040,607 |
|
Údarás na Gaeltachta |
C7 Current (Community and Language Development) |
4,250,000 |
4,750,000 |
|
Údarás na Gaeltachta |
C8 Capital (Grants for Enterprise) |
13,275,000 |
13,980,000 |
Further information on the various schemes funded by Údarás na Gaeltachta is available on www.udaras.ie.
Foras na Gaeilge
Foras na Gaeilge, one of the agencies of the North South Language Bodies, receives 75% of its funding from my Department. The North South Ministerial Council approved 2021 budget from my Department for Foras na Gaeilge totalled €12,062,225. My Department also provides ring-fenced funding in 2021 towards Clár na Leabhar Gaeilge (€1,061,165) and Colmcille (€118,519), administered by Foras na Gaeilge.
My Department has been allocated an increase of €700,000 for the North South Language Body in the 2022 Budget. Officials in my department are currently in communication with officials in the Department for Communities, Northern Ireland, joint Sponsor Department for the North South Language Body, regarding its final 2022 budget.
Groups can apply to Foras na Gaeilge for funding under various Irish Language Schemes administered by the organisation on an all-island basis eg Scéim na bhFéilte; Scéim na gCampaí Samhraidh – further details at: www.forasnagaeilge.ie/sceimeanna-maoinithe/
I trust that the above is of assistance to the Deputy. If the Deputy has specific queries relating to a particular programme or scheme, my officials will provide him with the relevant information in that regard on request.
