Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I am very supportive of content in Irish language. I am engaging with stakeholders to identify what will work best. As a publisher-broadcaster, TG4 commissions its content from the independent production sector, supporting jobs in the Gaeltacht regions, in particular. While increased activity in audiovisual content production may be of benefit to TG4 in commissioning content for its schedule, it is important to point out that since taking office, I have provided significant additional resources to TG4. For example, an increase of €7.3 million was provided, building on the €4.2 million increase we provided for in 2022. An increase in funding allocation for 2023 is the provision of €3.3 million for the establishment of Cúla4, a dedicated Irish language channel. The increases are hugely significant not only in respect of Irish language programming, but in the role played by TG4 in the delivery of the Government's 20-year strategy for the Irish language. It will enable TG4 to better serve Irish-speaking communities and provide increased support to our regional creative companies. We are all incredibly proud to see that not only has "An Cailín Ciúin" brought our Irish language to world stage, but also to see it on the red carpet and to see our own Irish actors speaking in our native tongue, and the prominence that this has given to our language on the world stage. Our actors are to be commended, too, for what they are doing to promote our language.

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