My Department funds the DEIS Gaeltacht scholarship scheme, an initiative under Scéim na bhFoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge. This scheme was first established in 2019 when €50,000 was made available to provide DEIS post-primary students with the opportunity to attend an Irish language course in one the Irish summer colleges recognised by my Department
Additional funding has been allocated to this initiative since its establishment bringing the total funding available for the scheme to €900,000 annually since 2025. Under the additional fund, over 900 students per year from DEIS post-primary schools across the country are able to benefit from Irish language learning courses in the Gaeltacht. The initiative is administered on behalf of the Department by the Galway and Roscommon Education and Training Board (GRETB) as has been the case since 2019.
The scholarship for a three-week course provided under the fund is worth up to €950 or 85% of the total course fee, whichever is lesser, while a scholarship valued at €820 or 85% of the course fee, whichever is lesser, is provided for a two-week course.
The table below provides further information in relation to the uptake of the scholarship scheme.
As the Department does not retain the statistics required to calculate the cost estimates requested by the Deputy, it will not be in a position to provide same.
|
DEIS Gaeltacht Scheme
|
2019
|
2020
|
2021
|
2022
|
2023
|
2024
|
2025
|
|
No. of students
|
50
|
0
|
0
|
422
|
430
|
431
|
931
|
|
Expenditure
|
€37,951
|
COVID-19 closure
|
COVID-
19
closure
|
€328,026
|
€321,056
|
€385,960.50
|
€900,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Figures in respect of 2026 are not yet available.
The Department is aware that there are other scholarship schemes in operation by sporting organisations for example and other bodies. However, my Department has no oversight of other scholarships and, therefore, would not have any information in relation to their uptake.
