Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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395. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the way in which she will work with her colleague, 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. [4085/17]

Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I refer the Deputy to previous replies given to Parliamentary Questions in relation to this matter. As I mentioned in these replies the question of access to second-level education through Irish is primarily a matter for the Minister for Education and Skills.

However, in the context of its responsibility for coordinating the implementation of the 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030,my Department works in close cooperation with a number of key stakeholders, including the Department of Education and Skills.

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 further engagement with my colleague, Richard Bruton T.D., Minister for Education and Skills, in relation to these matters.

I should also point out that the Cabinet Committee on Arts, Irish, the Gaeltacht and the Islands is working to ensure coherence and focus in the range of activities, both ongoing and in planning, to support and promote the Irish language within the wider context of national identity, culture and creativity. I am pleased to be a member of that Committee and I look forward to working with my colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills, within that framework. Indeed, I am particularly pleased that a new Policy on Gaeltacht Education was published on 28^thOctober last year, which sets out how the education system will contribute to supporting and promoting the future use of Irish as a living indigenous language in the Gaeltacht. I know that this policy, which had been the subject of extensive consultation with the various stakeholders, including my own Department, has been widely welcomed.

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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396. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if the Government will provide extra funding to Gaeltacht areas to encourage greater use of the language and better economic prospects for those living in Gaeltacht areas. [4086/17]

Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I refer the Deputy to the previous replies given to Parliamentary Questions in relation to this matter. As I mentioned in those replies, 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 insofar as it supports the maintenance and development of the Irish language as a community and household language in the Gaeltacht. Other measures outlined in the Programme include:

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

- Encouraging the attendance by children of Irish-medium pre-schools or naíonraí in Gaeltacht areas; 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 Údarás na Gaeltachta website www.udaras.ie.

In order to further underpin the implementation of the 20-Year Strategy and the language planning process, as set out in Acht na Gaeltachta 2012, a specific allocation of €1.25m has also been provided in my Department vote this year, an increase of €250,000 on the 2016 allocation. This increased allocation will further enable my Department, acting in co-operation 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.

A further increase of €1m in current funding provided in my Department’s Vote this year for the Irish Language, Gaeltacht and Islands programme area will enable my Department to allocate extra resources to Gaeltacht support schemes such as the Irish Language Summer Colleges and Gaeltacht community groups funded by Údarás na Gaeltachta.

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 this context, I wish to acknowledge the very important enterprise and employment function of Údarás na Gaeltachta as the regional economic development 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 remit in the Gaeltacht, a capital funding allocation of €6.687m has been provided by the Exchequer to the organisation in 2017.