Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 26 November 2025
362. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the number of Irish language summer colleges supported in 2024 and 2025, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [66504/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn the interest of clarity, I should make the Deputy aware that the Irish language summer colleges' sector is essentially commercial in nature and that my Department does not fund the colleges directly. However, in order to foster language acquisition and enrichment opportunities in the Gaeltacht outside of the education system for learners of the language, my Department provides a nightly subsidy under the Irish Language Learners Scheme (Scéim na bhFoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge) payable to recognised Gaeltacht households who provide accommodation for learners attending a recognised Irish course in any of the Irish-language colleges operating under the scheme.
The table below details the number of colleges recognised under 'Scéim na bhFoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge' in 2024 and 2025. My Department provided recognition for a total of 259 courses in 2024 and 262 in 2025.
|
County |
2024 No. of colleges |
2024 No. of subunits |
2025 No. of colleges |
2025 No. of subunits |
|
Kerry |
2 |
8 |
2 |
8 |
|
Cork |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Donegal |
10 |
10 |
11 |
11 |
|
Galway |
16 |
24 |
16 |
24 |
|
Mayo |
3 |
4 |
3 |
4 |
|
Meath |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Waterford |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
|
34 |
49 |
35 |
50
|
My Department's support of this sector as a whole under Scéim na bhFoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge is provided via an investment of over €6m annually. This investment goes towards subsiding accommodation costs as I have already outlined, but also towards providing scholarships to those attending DEIS second level schools from across Ireland and towards start-up grants for new accommodation providers to the sector. In addition, earlier this year, I announced a new once-off grant for accommodation providers to support the purchase of new beds and mattresses.
Not only does this annual state investment yield benefits in providing language learning and enrichment opportunities to thousands of learners annually, it also generates significant economic benefits within Gaeltacht regions.
