Written answers
Thursday, 1 July 2010
Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs
Departmental Funding
10:00 pm
Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 43: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he will give details of the grant aid being provided by his Department to third level institutions abroad relating to the Irish language; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28740/10]
Pat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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In 2006 my Department established a dedicated fund to support the development and teaching of Irish language courses in third-level institutions overseas. Prior to the establishment of this fund, my Department had provided funding to a number of individual universities for this purpose.
This funding initiative has proved extremely successful in raising the profile and perceived status of the Irish language at home and abroad, and in opening up opportunities for personal and career development for young Irish language teachers and other professionals. It also develops positive links at Governmental and university level between Ireland and other participating countries, as well as the interpersonal contacts that are so important in the long-term in ensuring a positive awareness of Ireland among our EU partners and further afield.
At present around thirty third-level colleges and universities in the USA, in European countries and further afield, are providing Irish language and Celtic Studies programmes within their own institutions with the assistance of funding from my Department. I believe that the demand for funding from this scheme from universities worldwide is a clear indicator, not only of the interest within the academic community in Irish as one of the world's oldest vernacular languages, but also as proof of the opportunities available to Irish speakers globally.
I would mention in particular the two-way exchanges promoted via our participation in the Fulbright Commission's programme and in partnership with the Ireland-Canada University Foundation. Aside from the value in terms of promotion of the language, there is a direct economic return in cultural tourism terms, as many of the international students who study Irish in their home institutions will continue their studies in Ireland.
The funding provided under this heading to universities and organisations in 2009 and to date in 2010 is set out in tabular form.
| University/Organisation | Grants Paid 2009 | Grants Authorised2010 |
| € | € | |
| Fulbright Commission | 231,000 | 231,000 |
| Ireland Canada University Foundation | 200,000 | 200,000 |
| Coláiste na nGael, Paris, France | 16,748 | 16,748 |
| Daltaí na Gaeilge, New Jersey, USA | 19,000 | - |
| Glucksman College, New York | 17,000 | 17,000 |
| Institiúd na hÉireann, Pittsburgh, USA | 25,000 | - |
| Lehman College, NYU, New York, USA | 10,000 | 10,000 |
| University of Wales, Aberystwyth, Wales | 30,000 | 30,000 |
| Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland | 18,468 | 16,500 |
| University of Brest, France | 24,084 | 24,084 |
| Cambridge University, England | 23,392 | 25,198 |
| Cardiff University, Wales | 24,569 | 19,753 |
| Edinburgh University, Scotland | 18,250 | 18,800 |
| Freiburg University, Frieburg, Germany | 18,100 | 18,100 |
| Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany | 3,000 | - |
| Karlova University, Prague, Czech Republic | 10,964 | 11,000 |
| Martin Luther University, Halle, Germany | - | 4,200 |
| Mannheim University, Germany | 61,000 | 61,000 |
| Marburg University, Germany | 2,800 | 5,400 |
| University of Montana, USA | 60,000 | 30,000 |
| Oslo University, Norway | 7,639 | - |
| Uppsala University, Sweden | 13,377 | 13,778 |
| University of the Ruhr, Germany | 15,472 | 15,472 |
| Sheffield University, England | 28,183 | 29,963 |
| Sydney University, Sidney, Australia | - | 8,530 |
| SKSK University, Germany | 6,000 | 6,000 |
| St. Mary's University, Twickenham, England | - | 3,746 |
| University of St. Thomas, Minnesota | 14,778 | 9,332 |
| University of St. Thomas, Texas, USA | 35,574 | 57,993 |
| University of St. Thomas, Texas, Gaeltacht course | 7,500 | - |
| Vienna University, Austria | 20,000 | 20,000 |
| Universiteit Utrecht, Netherlands | 30,000 | 30,000 |
| Volkshochshule Buxtehude, Germany | 760 | 760 |
| University of Beijing, China | - | 8,300 |
| Totals | 992,658 | 942,657 |
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