Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 July 2024
891. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the estimated cost of restoring the capital grant for Gaeltacht summer colleges at the rate immediately prior to its abolition and at a rate adjusted for inflation. [33466/24]
View answerThe Deputy may be aware that the capitation grant referred to was provided by the Department of Education and was estimated at that time to be worth around €1.2m to the Irish colleges sector prior to its abolition in 2008/2009. Given that this funding was not provided by my Department, I am not in a position to provide accurate figures in terms the estimated cost of restoring this capitation grant for Gaeltacht summer colleges.
My Department continues to support this sector with an investment of over €5m annually which goes towards subsiding accommodation costs, social inclusion scholarships and start-up grants for accommodation providers. This is not inclusive of the further capital support available to colleges from my Department for the upgrade of college facilities.
