Written Answers Nos. 1310-1330
1310. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his Department has a solar panel policy in place in relation to the installation of solar panels on all buildings operated and owned by agencies under the control of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30736/26]
View answerThe information in respect of aegis bodies, within the scope of the Deputy’s question, is not held by my Department. Contact details for these bodies are set out in the attached document, should the Deputy wish to contact the aegis bodies directly with their query.
Contact E-Mail Addresses for State Bodies under the Remit of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
|
Name of Body |
Dedicated Email address for the Members of the Oireachtas |
Designated Official Responsible for assisting Oireachtas Members |
|
Higher Education Authority |
Oireachtas@hea.ie |
Trevor Purtill |
|
Grangegorman Development Agency |
Oireachtas@ggda.ie |
Elif Mooney |
|
SOLAS |
Oireachtasinfo@solas.ie |
Maria Walshe |
|
Skillnet Ireland |
Oireachtasmembers@skillnetireland.ie |
Tracey Donnery |
|
Quality and Qualifications Ireland |
ceo@qqi.ie |
Dr Lynn Ramsey |
|
Léargas – The Exchange Bureau |
Oireachtas@leargas.ie |
Emma Grainger |
|
Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland |
Oireachtasqueries@researchireland.ie |
Donna McCabe |
1311. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views on the merits of installing solar panels on all buildings operated and owned by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30753/26]
View answerI am committed to supporting the achievement of our national climate action targets and I note that the further and higher education sector has already reduced emissions by approximately 13% against the 2016–2018 baseline, performing above the public sector average. My Department is also focused on supporting the development of green skills and the transition to a low-carbon economy.
My staff are currently based in four locations; 52 St Stephens Green, Marlborough Street, Tullamore, and St. Stephen’s Green House. These locations are owned and/or operated by the OPW, which oversees the installation and management of renewable energy systems, including solar panels. My Department contributes to energy costs on a proportionate basis, shared with other occupant Departments and bodies, in line with occupancy levels.
DFHERIS continues to liaise closely with the OPW and colleagues across these locations to identify and implement measures to improve energy efficiency and advance the decarbonisation of our buildings.
1312. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views on the merits of installing solar panels on all buildings operated and owned by agencies under the control of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30774/26]
View answerI am committed to supporting the achievement of our national climate action targets and, in addition to making progress on sectoral emissions reductions, my Department’s multi-faceted remit of skills, research and innovation is instrumental in supporting the ongoing development of green skills and the transition to a low-carbon economy.
DFHERIS does not have a solar panel policy in place in relation to the installation of solar panels on buildings operated and owned by agencies under the Department. At present the departments four locations; 52 St Stephens Green, Marlborough Street, Tullamore, and St. Stephen’s Green House are owned and/or operated by the OPW, which oversees the installation and management of renewable energy systems, including solar panels.
DFHERIS allocates capital funding to agencies to maintain, refurbish and upgrade and it is a matter for the agencies in question as to how they utilise this funding, in line with Government climate action frameworks and public sector energy efficiency obligations.
The agencies under the aegis of my Department operate from a diverse estate of buildings. SOLAS, Research Ireland, the Grangegorman Development Authority and the Higher Education Authority (HEA) operate from leased buildings and therefore have limits over what can be effected within their respective operating domains.
However, I can confirm that the HEA operates from a shared building where, in 2024, the landlord completed the installation of around 140 Photovoltaic (PV) solar panels on the roof of the building.
The Department welcomes the installation of solar panels in buildings operated by its aegis bodies. Such installations generate renewable electricity which reduces total operational emissions and reduces energy costs.
I will continue to work with those agencies under my remit, in tandem with the varied public bodies and stakeholders that constitute the tertiary sector, to support the adoption of sustainable practices, including renewable energy solutions, in line with national policy.
1313. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the total allocation of funding to each State agency under his Department’s remit, broken down by the allocation to each agency, for each of the past 15 years, in tabular form. [30796/26]
View answerThe Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science was established in August 2020.
I will address the Deputy’s question by referring first to information already published in the annual Revised Estimates for the Public Service, and secondly by providing additional detail in tabular form for certain bodies under the aegis of my Department.
The information requested by the Deputy is largely available in the published annual Revised Estimates for the Public Service. Details of allocations to agencies under the remit my Department are outlined in the Agency Statements section of this publication. The published Revised Estimates for the years in question can be accessed at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/department-of-public-expenditure-infrastructure-public-service-reform-and-digitalisation/collections/the-revised-estimates-volumes-for-the-public-service/.
In addition, the table below details allocations to bodies under the aegis of my Department that are not required to submit agency statements as part of the published Revised Estimates.
|
Year |
Skillnet Ireland |
Léargas |
|
|
€'m |
€'m |
|
2026 |
54.198 |
1.295 |
|
2025 |
62.973 |
1.295 |
|
2024 |
51.498 |
1.295 |
|
2023 |
59.141 |
1.295 |
|
2022 |
52.898 |
1.317 |
|
2021 |
40.898 |
1.275 |
1314. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the total spend on consultancy firms by each State agency under his Department's remit, broken down by the allocation to each named consultancy firm, for each of the past 15 years, in tabular form. [30814/26]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy in respect of total spend on consultancy firms by aegis bodies under my Department's remit, is not held by my Department. Contact details for these bodies are set out in the attached document, should the Deputy wish to contact the aegis bodies directly with their query.
Contact E-Mail Addresses for State Bodies under the Remit of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
|
Name of Body |
Dedicated Email address for the Members of the Oireachtas |
Designated Official Responsible for assisting Oireachtas Members |
|
Higher Education Authority |
Oireachtas@hea.ie |
Trevor Purtill |
|
Grangegorman Development Agency |
Oireachtas@ggda.ie |
Elif Mooney |
|
SOLAS |
Oireachtasinfo@solas.ie |
Maria Walshe |
|
Skillnet Ireland |
Oireachtasmembers@skillnetireland.ie |
Tracey Donnery |
|
Quality and Qualifications Ireland |
ceo@qqi.ie |
Dr Lynn Ramsey |
|
Léargas – The Exchange Bureau |
Oireachtas@leargas.ie |
Emma Grainger |
|
Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland |
Oireachtasqueries@researchireland.ie |
Donna McCabe |
1315. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the position regarding any buildings operated and owned by his Department that have solar panels in place to support the energy demands of the building; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30844/26]
View answerI am committed to supporting the achievement of our national climate action targets and I note that the further and higher education sector has reduced emissions by approximately 13% against the 2016–2018 baseline. My Department is also focused on supporting the development of green skills and the transition to a low-carbon economy.
My staff are currently based in four locations; 52 St Stephens Green, Marlborough Street, Tullamore, and St. Stephen’s Green House. These locations are owned and/or operated by the OPW, which oversees the installation and management of renewable energy systems, including solar panels. My Department contributes to energy costs on a proportionate basis, shared with other occupant Departments and bodies, in line with occupancy levels.
DFHERIS continues to liaise closely with the OPW and colleagues across these locations to identify and implement measures to improve energy efficiency and advance the decarbonisation of our buildings.
1316. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if student fees will be covered or reduced for medical students going into practice upon completion of their undergraduate degrees (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30936/26]
View answerHigher Education Institutions are autonomous bodies responsible for their own academic affairs, including the setting of postgraduate tuition fee rates. The higher education tuition fee payable by a postgraduate student can vary depending on a variety factors, including the type of course and the fee rates of a particular institution.
The State provides supports to eligible postgraduate students who qualify for SUSI support. Details of these postgraduate grant supports are available at: [https://www.susi.ie/eligibility-criteria/income/postgraduate-income-thresholds-and-grant-award-rates/]
Graduate medical students who are going into practice should consult with their employers regarding what supports may be available to them to undertake further studies. For example, I understand that undergraduate medicine graduates may progress to become an Intern (medical postgraduate internship) with the HSE. There are various HSE educational funding supports available including the HSE's Training Support Scheme and the Clinical Course and Exam Refund Scheme.
1317. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht for an update on the status of the Athenry Public Realm Enhancement Project; the level of engagement his Department has had with Galway County Council in relation to the progression of the project to delivery stage; the funding streams available to support its advancement; and the actions he will take to ensure that the project is progressed and prioritised at the earliest possible opportunity. [29984/26]
View answerThe Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) is a major capital investment programme which seeks to support large-scale, ambitious projects which can achieve sustainable economic and social development in rural areas.
Since 2018, the RRDF has allocated over €612 million to 272 projects across the country. Of this, over €30.6 million has been allocated to 19 projects located in County Galway. This includes c. €6.075 million awarded in 2024 to the Athenry Public Realm Enhancement and Community Hub project. As the Lead Body for the project, Galway County Council has responsibility for managing and delivering the works and is required to provide periodic progress updates to the Department in this regard.
Experience across RRDF indicates that the lifecycle of large-scale infrastructure projects typically ranges between 3 and 5 years. The Council has confirmed that this project in Athenry is currently at detailed design stage. Upon completion of the detailed design and following the receipt of tenders from prospective contractors detailing the cost of construction, procedures require that local authorities revert to the Department in order to obtain sanction to proceed to construction. This sees projects which have previously received funding ‘Approval in Principle’ secure a final funding agreement.
My officials continue to work and engage on an ongoing with all Lead Bodies on RRDF projects across the country, to underpin effective delivery of projects and to address any issues that arise as projects progress.
1318. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht to provide details on all open EU infringement proceedings where the subject of the infringement relates to the functions of his Department; the reason the infringement proceedings were initiated; the procedural stage of the infringement proceedings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30274/26]
View answerI can confirm there are no open EU infringement proceedings where the subject relates to the functions of my Department.
1319. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the estimated time to carry out the relevant stages when developing a town centre first plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30383/26]
View answerLaunched in 2022, the Town Centre First (TCF) Policy is a major cross-government policy which aims to tackle vacancy, combat dereliction and breathe new life into our town centres. It does this by setting out a framework to facilitate and resource the regeneration of Irish towns to ensure they are vibrant, viable places to live, work, invest in, and visit.
TCF Town Plans are community-based plans that are produced by a local Town Team, with the support and leadership of Town Regeneration Officers which are funded by my Department. Town Plans set out a vision and identify regeneration opportunities, direct investment and maximise the unique strengths and assets of their town.
In December 2021, €2.6 million in funding was made available by my Department to deliver 26 TCF Town Plans under Phase 1. These towns were selected based on submissions received from the local authorities. This first phase of town plans have been complete for some time and can be viewed on the National TCF website at this address: [https://towncentrefirst.ie/]. Projects to develop these plans took an average of two years to complete.
In February 2024, funding of €780,000 was made available to Town Teams for the development of a second phase of 26 TCF Town Plans. These town plans are substantially complete and, as plans are completed, they are made available on the National TCF website.
It should be noted that, by design and in using a placed based policy approach to rural development, TCF embeds both the management and ownership of the process to develop plans with local communities. Typically, this has seen TCF Plans under the second round of towns take up to 24 months to complete. The challenges and opportunities that are present in each town developing a TCF Town Plan are unique, and so the process and requirements in order to complete these plans will vary.
The National TCF Office provides guidance and support documents to Town Teams and Town Regeneration Officers to help in the preparation of TCF town plans. Other supports including the sharing of experience and best practice through the Town Regeneration Officer network are also in place.
1320. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the main policy achievements of his Department since 22 January 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30484/26]
View answerSince 22 January 2025, my Department has delivered significant policy and programme achievements across rural development, community development, and the Gaeltacht and the Islands.
Support for and investment in rural Ireland is a priority across government. The Programme for Government includes a commitment to publish and implement a successor to the Our Rural Future policy. I am pleased with the overall level of delivery across the 5-year lifetime of the policy, where in many cases, delivery has gone beyond what was set out originally and exceeded what was envisaged when the policy commenced in 2021. After an extensive consultation processes, and a review of the previous policy by the OECD, work on a successor policy is nearing completion. The successor will be a whole of Government policy, led by my Department. I look forward to bringing this to Government in due course.
Work is also ongoing on a successor strategy for the community and voluntary sector, again with extensive consultation a key part of that work. My Department is also currently developing a new National Volunteering Strategy, which will also fulfil a commitment in the Programme for Government. The second Strategy will build on the progress already made – strengthening Ireland’s established volunteering infrastructure, continuing to progress areas of best practice, and ensuring that support for and recognition of the value of volunteering is sustainable into the future.
I would also note that, with regard to the Gaeltacht area, Government recently approved the Action Plan for Irish Language Public Services 2026-2028, and the Údarás na Gaeltachta (Amendment) Bill is progressing well.
In addition, implementation is ongoing across other policies, including:
• Town Centre First Policy (2022)
• Embracing Ireland’s Outdoors (2023 – 2027)
• Ár nOileáin Bheo (2023 – 2033)
• Trading for Impact (2024 – 2027)
• The Library is the Place (2023 – 2027)
• The National Philanthropy Policy (2024 – 2028)
• The 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language (2010 – 2030) and associated 5-Year Action Plan
• The Digital Plan for the Irish Language (2023 – 2027)
• The Strategy for Irish Language Based Arts (2024-2027)
• The National Plan for Irish Language Public Services (2024 – 2030)
The implementation of this framework of policies has seen the delivery of significant funding to rural, urban and Gaeltacht communities in 2025 and to date in 2026. This is delivered through a range of schemes. Some important examples of this funding over the period include;
• €159 million was secured in Budget 2026 for the Gaeltacht, Irish Language and Islands Programme, an increase of over €36 million;
• An investment of €35.7 million was announced under the NDP for the development of Inis Oírr pier;
• Increased funding for both Gaeltacht Support Schemes and Irish Language Support Schemes;
• €26 million was approved for over 100 projects under the Town and Village Renewal Scheme;
• €25 million to support 284 outdoor recreation projects – the largest approval to date under the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme;
• €21 million has been announced to support improvements to 369 community centres under the Community Centre Investment Fund;
• €20.5 million under the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund for 30 projects nationwide;
• €17.5 million was announced for Local Authorities to upgrade rural roads and laneways under the Local Improvement Scheme, and;
• Increase of €4 million for the Community Services Programme, with its annual allocation increasing from €55.4 million to €59.4 million. A new Open Call for Applications to join the Programme was announced on 30th March.
The above information demonstrates that my Department is making strong progress on our commitments within the Programme for Government, across both policy and programmes objectives.
1321. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if it is the current policy of his private office/Department to formally invite or notify all local Oireachtas members of constituency events at which Ministers are in attendance in the course of performing their ministerial duties and functions; if he will provide the Department's current policy or protocol on this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30604/26]
View answer1322. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht to provide a list of all events across every constituency attended by the Minister in the course of his ministerial duties since 1 January 2026, where formal invitations/notifications to attend were not issued by his office to all local Oireachtas members; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30622/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1321 and 1322 together.
In general, the events I attend in the course of my Ministerial duties are organised by local authorities or other local project implementers and, as such, they are responsible for issuing invitations. With regard to lists of such events, when they relate to my Ministerial duties, a press release is generally issued on my Departments website to coincide with, and outline the purpose of, the event. These press releases, including for events since 1st January 2026, are available on my Department’s website www.gov.ie/drcdg.
1323. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if there are solar panels in place on the rooftop or within the grounds of his Department building; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30703/26]
View answer1324. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if his Department has a solar panel policy in place in relation to the installation of solar panels on all buildings operated and owned by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30721/26]
View answer1325. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht his views on the merits of installing solar panels on all buildings operated and owned by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30758/26]
View answer1329. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the position regarding any buildings operated and owned by his Department that have solar panels in place to support the energy demands of the building; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30849/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1323, 1324, 1325 and 1329 together.
My Department operates across a number of office spaces, with three significant office spaces, namely, Trinity Point, Dublin 2; Government Buildings, Ballina, and; Na Forbacha, County Galway. These buildings are owned by the Office of Public Works (OPW) and the Department is a tenant in each of them. It should be noted that the Department is the only tenant in the Na Forbacha building, the Department of Housing, Heritage and Local Government is the lead tenant in Ballina, and the Houses of the Oireachtas is the lead tenant in Trinity Point.
There are currently no solar panels on any of these buildings. Installation of panels was planned in Government Buildings, Ballina, however the roof structure was ultimately deemed not suitable.
With regard to energy efficiency measures, my Department is committed to meeting its obligations under the Climate Action Plan and Public Sector Climate Action Mandate. Central to this is the Department’s annual Climate Action Roadmap, which is available on my Department's website. The Roadmap provides a framework through which my Department seeks to meet its target of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 51% by 2030 and to improve energy efficiency beyond the 33% target in 2020 to 50% by 2030.
My Department is making considerable progress in this regard, with the most recent information provided by the OPW for Trinity Point finding that energy consumption has reduced by 40% compared to the baseline year of 2019.
The Department will continue to work with OPW and the lead tenants in relevant buildings with regard to energy efficiency measures, including the potential for measures such as solar panels.
1326. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht his views on the merits of installing solar panels on all buildings operated and owned by agencies under the control of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30779/26]
View answerMy Department has 8 agencies under its remit; the Charities Regulator, An Coimisineir Teanga, Foras na Gaeilge, Pobal, Údarás na Gaeltachta, the Ulster-Scots Agency, Water Safety Ireland, and the Western Development Commission.
These agencies are independent entities, responsible for managing their own corporate affairs. As such, each agency is responsible for the management and upkeep of premises in accordance with their individual lease agreement or as owners of their buildings, including energy efficiency measures. My Department is supportive of the agencies addressing climate action targets through energy efficiency measures, including use of solar panels, where possible, in buildings operated and owned by the agencies.
1327. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the total allocation of funding to each State agency under his Department’s remit, broken down by the allocation to each agency, for each of the past 15 years, in tabular form. [30801/26]
View answerThe Department of Rural and Community Development was established in 2017, with the Gaeltacht function being added to the remit on 1 June 2025. Prior to this the Gaeltacht function and its agencies were part of the payroll of the now Department of Culture, Communications and Sport.
There are currently eight agencies under the remit of the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht: Pobal, Western Development Commission, Charities Regulatory Authority, Water Safety Ireland, Oifig an Choimisinéara Teanga, Údarás na Gaeltachta, Foras na Gaeilge, and the Ulster-Scots Agency. These agencies are independent legal entities responsible for managing their own corporate affairs in compliance with their statutory obligations, including their expenditure management.
The attached table provides the funding allocation for each of the agencies, from each year from the Department’s establishment in 2017, to 2026. While the Gaeltacht remit transferred to the Department on 1 June 2025, the figures included in the table for that year represent the full year allocations for 2025. I would note that this information is published in the relevant Revised Estimates Volume for each year.
Pobal is an agency of my Department which works on behalf of Government to manage and implement a number of publicly-funded programmes designed to improve outcomes for local communities, particularly those encountering social and economic disadvantage. It should be noted that Pobal operates on the basis of a framework agreement with my Department and programme-specific service level agreements. Annual payments are based on the services delivered under the latter agreements. Therefore it does not receive a set budget allocation on an annual basis. The figures in the attached table in respect of Pobal represent payments by my Department to the organisation for the administration of various grants schemes on behalf of my Department in the given year. Pobal are in receipt of funds in a similar manner from a range of Government Departments, with information on funding presented in their accounts each year.
Funding Allocations to DRCDG Agencies 2017 to 2026
|
Funding Allocation (Original REV allocation) |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
2026 |
|
- |
€'000 |
€'000 |
€'000 |
€'000 |
€'000 |
€'000 |
€'000 |
€'000 |
€'000 |
€'000 |
|
Western Development Commission |
2,495 |
1,516 |
2,028 |
2,049 |
2,166 |
2,266 |
2,382 |
2,620 |
2,858 |
3,208 |
|
Water Safety Ireland |
1,007 |
1,014 |
1,118 |
1,124 |
1,179 |
1,179 |
1,424 |
1,844 |
2,492 |
2,992 |
|
Charities Regulatory Authority |
4,466 |
4,552 |
4,606 |
4,606 |
4,606 |
4,606 |
5,103 |
5,418 |
6,076 |
6,643 |
|
Pobal |
- |
64,297 |
61,610 |
94,810 |
72,143 |
92,515 |
101,968 |
102,953 |
85,744 |
- |
|
An Coimisinéar Teanga |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
1,677 |
1,977 |
|
Údaras na Gaeltachta |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
38,657 |
41,157 |
|
Foras na Gaeilge |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
16,482 |
17,462 |
|
Ulster-Scots Agency |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
841 |
1,020 |
Notes:
• The Gaeltacht function and agencies (An Coimisinéar Teanga, Údaras na Gaeltachta, Foras na Gaeilge, and Ulster-Scots Agency) transferred into the Department on 1 June 2025. All 2025 figures listed in the table above represent the full year figures for 2025.
• Pobal costs reflect payments made to the organisation to administer and support a number of grants programmes on behalf of the Department in the year in question, since the oversight agreement was established in 2018. The 2026 figure will not be available until year end.
1328. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the total spend on consultancy firms by each State agency under his Department's remit, broken down by the allocation to each named consultancy firm, for each of the past 15 years, in tabular form. [30819/26]
View answerThere are 8 agencies under the remit of my Department; Pobal, the Western Development Commission, the Charities Regulatory Authority, Water Safety Ireland, Oifig an Choimisinéara Teanga, Údarás na Gaeltachta, Foras na Gaeilge, and the Ulster-Scots Agency.
These agencies are independent entities, responsible for managing their own corporate affairs, including the use of consultants. This is in line with the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies where it is the responsibility of the Board of any agency to satisfy itself that the requirements for public procurement are adhered to.
Notwithstanding the above, my officials have written to the agencies to obtain the information you have requested. The information will be provided to your office directly within 10 working days. It should be noted that my Department was established in July 2017 so the information will be provided from that date.
I would also note that, in line with the Code of Practice, the agencies have specific contact points in place to deal with queries and information requests from Deputies. Details on those contact points are below.
|
Organisation |
Email address |
|
Organisation |
Email address |
|
Pobal |
|
|
Western Development Commission (WDC) |
|
|
Charities Regulatory Authority (CRA) |
|
|
Water Safety Ireland (WSI) |
|
|
Oifig an Choimisinéara Teanga |
|
|
Údarás na Gaeltachta |
|
|
Foras na Gaeilge |
|
|
Ulster-Scots Agency |
1330. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if there are any financial supports/grants for summer camps through Gaeilge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30939/26]
View answerMy Department has been funding Scéim na gCampaí Samhraidh within the Gaeltacht for many years. Under the current arrangement, funding of up €330,000 per year is granted to Údarás na Gaeltachta to administer the scheme. Since 2017, Muintearas Teo. a subsidiary of Údarás na Gaeltachta has been managing the delivery of Scéim na gCampaí Samhraidh within the Gaeltacht.
The main aim of the scheme is to create social and educational opportunities through Irish for young people in the Gaeltacht to help develop interest and confidence in their use of Irish outside of school settings. This funding support helps ensure camp fees are kept as low as possible for families. Between 2017 and 2025, the scheme has supported 1,265 summer camps in which 44,824 young people participated.
Foras na Gaeilge also provides funding for its Scéim na gCampaí Samhraidh every year for Irish language camps which aim to strengthen the use and enjoyment of Irish amongst young people through a range of activities. This scheme is open to camps:
• for young people aged between 3 and 18 years;
• that are non-residential;
• That last five days; and,
• That provide at least 4.5 hours of activities per day.
This is a non-profit scheme aimed at keeping camp fees as low as possible for families and and at encouraging the use of the language amongst young people.
