Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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372. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will make provision for a cultúrlann in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27336/20]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy may be aware, a specific commitment has been made in the Programme for Government to "promote the development of Irish Language Centres in Dublin and across the country, for a community-based approach to Irish-language promotion."

This commitment builds on those previously given in the Government’s Action Plan 2018-2022 for the Irish-language (actions 4.12 and 4.13 specifically) and the National Development Plan 2018-2027 (Project Ireland 2040) in respect of Irish language centres.

On a practical level, my Department supports the development of Irish-language centres through the Irish language Support Schemes (Capital Programme), with an allocation of €632,000 for 2020.

Community-based committees or organisations who operate through Irish outside the Gaeltacht, may make an application under this scheme. Funding can be provided to assist with building or refurbishing Irish-language centres, with the purchase of buildings for use as Irish-language centres and with the purchase of equipment for such centres.

The purpose of the capital assistance provided under this fund is to strengthen the Irish-language as a community and family language in accordance with the objectives of the Gaeltacht Act 2012 and the 20 Year Strategy for Irish 2010-2030.

I understand from my officials that, while they recently sent out an application form for the scheme to a community-based group in Kildare, they have not received an application for a Cultúrlann in the county. Should an application be made, it will be processed in the normal way, in accordance with the conditions of the scheme.

Further information about this scheme is available on my Department’s website.