Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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90. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the funding available for primary school children to attend the Gaeltacht; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55893/25]

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Tá muid ag caint faoi chúrsaí Gaeltachta. Bhí fadhb ann roimhe seo idir an Roinn oideachais agus Roinn na Gaeltachta. Bhí imní ar na príomhoidí, na múinteoirí agus na páistí nach mbeadh siad in ann freastal ar chúrsaí sna Gaeltachtaí. Déantar é seo le blianta anuas i gColáiste Bhríde i Rann na Feirste. Téann páistí ó scoileanna i nDún Dealgan ann. Bhí fadhb ann. Is dócha nach bhfuil an fhadhb ann fós, ach táim ag iarraidh é sin a fháil amach agus a chinntiú go bhfuil an t-airgead ansin chun é seo a dhéanamh.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Le bheith soiléir, tá mé chun an cheist a fhreagairt as Béarla-----

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Níl fadhb agam leis sin.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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-----ionas nach mbeidh botún san eolas.

My Department provides a subsidy under scéim na bhfoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge which is payable to qualifying Gaeltacht households providing accommodation for those attending an Irish course in any of the 40 or so Irish-language colleges that operate under the scheme. The scheme was established over 50 years ago in order to foster language acquisition and enrichment opportunities in the Gaeltacht outside of the education system for learners of the language.

The sector caters to a broad demographic of learners from the age of ten years upwards and operates from January to December annually. The most widely identifiable learners, those we all know of, are those who attend summer college courses from June to August, which cater for young people aged ten - or from third to fifth class - to those aged 19 who are undertaking their leaving cert. The Department also recognises courses which are aimed at third level students, including individuals who are undertaking teacher training, and other adult learners, including public sector workers.

In keeping with the spirit of the current programme for Government, which includes a commitment to "Maintain and where possible enhance support for Mná Tí at Gaeltacht summer colleges", I announced an increase to the daily subsidy rate payable to recognised households in July of this year, which was backdated to 31 May. This subsidy is currently worth €14.50 per student per day for recognised households, which is equivalent to €304.50 per student for a three-week course, and €10.50 for recognised hostels or residential colleges. The increase follows the nearly 30% increase in the subsidy rate payable to households and a 90% increase in that paid to residential colleges and hostels since 2022. The subsidy benefits over 27,000 learners per year who stay in any of the 520 Gaeltacht households approved under the scheme. It represents a State investment of almost €6 million annually in the Irish summer colleges sector.

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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I appreciate the Minister's answer. I heard about this particular issue from a number of schools throughout Dundalk and then from those who organise some of the courses. My father always had a connection with Coláiste Bhríde in Rann na Feirste, which has had a huge Dundalk connection since an tAthair Ó Muirí set it up many years ago. There was a fear that there had been a misunderstanding between the Department of the Gaeltacht and the Department of education. I was sending correspondence and being bounced from one Department to another. Luckily, the walls did not fall in and the courses went ahead, but I want to make sure we do not have that problem again. I think there was a technicality in relation to a review process, which is absolutely necessary. We all need due diligence and so on done. However, it was a case of something that probably had not been done, and then there was a question mark as to why it had not been. Unfortunately, it was going to impact students and those running the courses but, obviously, the students are the people I was most worried about.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Absolutely. I want students to learn Irish and to enjoy the experience of attending a summer college. Tá scéim na bhfoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge bunaithe ar dhaltaí ag dul go dtí an Ghaeltacht chun taithí foghlama agus taithí chónaithe sa Ghaeltacht a fháil. Tá sé tábhachtach go bhfuil an Roinn oideachais páirteach sa phróiseas seo. The Department of education plays a very strong role in this. Generally, scéim na bhfoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge involves courses that are outside the school year. I think the Deputy may be talking about school courses that are within the school year laid down by the Department. The Department of education, in the context of the school year, would provide any recommendations to Roinn na Gaeltachta in terms of the courses that it deems are suitable to be recognised. Therefore, unless a course is recognised by an Roinn oideachais, mura dtugann an Roinn approval go dtí an cúrsa, nílimid in ann airgead a chur ar fáil faoi scéim na bhfoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge. Tá sé tábhachtach go dtosófar leis an Roinn oideachais agus ansin is féidir leis an Teachta teacht ar ais chugam.

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as sin. Tharla na cúrsaí seo. Sin an rud is tábhachtaí. Sílim go bhfuil siad ag caint lena chéile agus leis an dá Roinn faoin am seo. Caithfimid a bheith cinnte nach mbeidh an fhadhb ann ag deireadh na bliana nó a leithéid. As regards this problem that arose, I get it in relation to governance and so on. I do not think the courses had a particular issue with those running them around whatever level of governance. It was just that somebody suddenly asked if any of those inspections had happened. It became an over-and-back and then nobody wanted to take responsibility. As I said, it was sorted. I will send the Minister more detail in relation to it. It is just a check-up that basically everything is happening and that we do not end up at the end of the year with imní ar pháistí, ar na múinteoirí agus ar gach aon duine eile maidir leis.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Iarraim ar an Teachta na sonraí a chur chugam. Tá sé tábhachtach go mbaineann gach aon rud laistigh den scoilbhliain leis an Roinn oideachais. Nuair atá sé taobh amuigh den scoilbhliain, tá seans againn é a phlé. When it is inside the existing school year, the Department of education, I think we all agree, must have approval over that. We will work with everyone. If the Deputy wants to send me on the details, I ask him to do so based on that principle-----

Ruairí Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Fadhb ar bith.

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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-----that anything within the school year is a matter for the Department of education initially, and if it approves, then we will examine it. Tá scéim na bhfoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge thar a bheith tábhachtach. Tá méadú mór déanta agam agus scéim nua agam an tseachtain seo le cinntiú go mbeidh daoine a bhí sa scéim roimh 2019 in ann leapacha agus mattresses nua a fháil ionas go mbeidh siad ullmhaithe don chéad bhliain eile agus daltaí eile le teacht go dtí a dtithe. Gabhaim buíochas leis na clanna, na mná tí agus fir tí atá chomh tábhachtach do scéim na bhfoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge agus a n-osclaíonn a dtithe i ngach cuid den Ghaeltacht gach bliain.