Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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611. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht how she will work with the Minister for Education and Skills to ensure that parents can access second-level education through Irish, especially in areas with proven demand for Gaelscoileanna. [13599/16]

Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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At the outset, I wish to inform the Deputy that the question of access to second level education through Irish is primarily a matter for the Department of Education and Skills.

In the context of its responsibility for coordinating the implementation of the 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030, however, my Department works in close cooperation with a number of key stakeholders, including the Department of Education and Skills. In that regard, my Department maintains regular contact with these stakeholders with regard to progressing the implementation of a number of important measures, including educational measures, under the Strategy.

Given the critical role of education in achieving the objectives detailed in the 20-Year Strategy, I can assure the Deputy that this close co-operation will continue to be a priority and I look forward to engaging with my colleague, Richard Bruton, TD, Minister for Education and Skills, in relation to these matters.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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612. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will provide extra funding to Irish-speaking Gaeltacht areas to encourage greater use of the language and better economic prospects for those living in Gaeltacht areas. [13600/16]

Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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By way of supporting the maintenance and development of the Irish language as a community and household language in the Gaeltacht, the implementation of the 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030 is recognised as a key priority in the Programme for a Partnership Government. Other measures outlined in the Programme include:

- A focus on job creation in the Gaeltacht, through Údarás na Gaeltachta;

- Encouraging the attendance by children in Irish-medium pre-schools or naíonraí in Gaeltacht areas;

- Recognising the importance of the status of Irish as a full working language of the EU institutions and working towards ending the derogation, as circumstances allow; and

- Increasing the investment in the Irish language.

The Deputy will be aware that my Department, together with Údarás na Gaeltachta, administers a wide range of schemes, programmes and initiatives targeting language and economic development in Gaeltacht areas. Further details are available on the Department’s website at and on the Údarás na Gaeltachta website at .

The Deputy may also be aware that in order to further underpin the implementation of the Strategy and the language planning process, as set out in Acht na Gaeltachta 2012, a specific allocation of €1m has also been provided in the current year. This allocation will further enable my Department, acting in concert with Údarás na Gaeltachta and relevant stakeholders at community level, to implement a range of specific and practical measures aimed at both supporting the implementation of the Strategy, as well as the language planning process in Gaeltacht areas.

In relation to the economic development of the Gaeltacht, as Minister of State with responsibility for the Gaeltacht, I very much appreciate the importance of job creation in helping to retain sustainable communities in Gaeltacht areas. In that context, I wish to acknowledge the very important enterprise and employment function of Údarás na Gaeltachta as the regional economic agency for the Gaeltacht. In its regional enterprise role in the Gaeltacht, Údarás na Gaeltachta, in conjunction with Enterprise Ireland and the IDA, will continue to work towards attracting investment to the Gaeltacht, in addition to supporting micro-enterprises and developing the skills base in the Gaeltacht. In order to enable Údarás na Gaeltachta to fulfil its job creation and job retention role in the Gaeltacht, capital funding of €6.687m has been provided by the Exchequer to Údarás in 2016, in addition to its own resources from the sale of assets and investments.

The issue of funding in respect of 2017 will be addressed in due course in the context of the estimates and budgetary processes.