Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 July 2026
26. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the position regarding any work ongoing within his Department to support Mná Tí and other accommodation providers to ensure that there is sufficient accommodation available for secondary school students to attend Gaeltacht summer colleges courses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52701/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department provides a number of supports to households providing accomodation for summer colleges students.
In order to foster language acquisition and enrichment opportunities in the Gaeltacht for learners beyond the post-primary education system, my Department provides a subsidy under the Irish Language Learners Scheme (Scéim na bhFoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge) which is payable to qualifying Gaeltacht households who provide accommodation for those attending an Irish course in any one of the c. 40 Irish-language colleges operating under the scheme.
I announced in May this year an increase of €1.50 per student per night in the subsidy payable to recognised households providing accommodation for students under this Irish Language Learners Scheme. An additional €1.50 per student per night will also be paid to recognised hostels/residential colleges to provide accommodation under the scheme. Over 530 households from across the Gaeltacht who are registered with my Department under the scheme will benefit from these increases. The subsidy for eligible households, therefore, increased from €14.50 to €16 per night, and from €10.50 to €12 in the case of recognised Gaeltacht hostels/residential colleges under the scheme.
This is the fifth increase in the subsidy payable under the scheme since the beginning of 2022, resulting in a 60% increase paid to households.
The subsidy benefits over 29,000 learners per year and represents an investment by the State of over €8m annually in the Irish summer colleges sector.
Newly-recognised households may also avail of a once-off starter grant from my Department. This grant supports households with the cost of works required to comply with fire safety requirements, including the installation of alarms and fire suppression systems, and with the purchase of beds and mattresses. The grant is worth up to €6,000 or 80% of cost, whichever is less.
To further assist the sector, in late 2025, I made available to established households providing accommodation under the scheme, a short-term Accommodation Upgrade Grant. Under this scheme, a grant of up to €2,000 or 80% of the total cost, whichever is less, was made available to long-standing recognised households to support the cost of purchasing new furniture, including bunk beds, single beds and single mattresses. 255 households availed of the scheme and over €400,000 was paid out to succefull applicants.
The cap of 12 students per household per course was also removed in recent years and increased to a maximum of 16 per household. This increased the capacity for greater numbers of students to attend courses, but also allowed households who are in a position to accommodate a greater number of learners in their homes to generate a greater level of income from the scheme.
It is my intention to continue to support the maintenance and development of this sector where possible over the coming years, as outlined in the current Programme for Government.
