Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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109. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans to tackle the decline in the Irish language. [28393/21]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy is aware, the overarching 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030and the accompanying Action Plan for the Irish Language (Plean Gníomhaíochta 2018-2022) represents state policy for the Irish language and Gaeltacht regions. The Strategy and supporting action plan have cross-departmental ownership and, accordingly, responsibility for implementation falls on a number of Government Departments, bodies and Irish language and Gaeltacht organisations. The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media is responsible inter alia, for coordinating its implementation.

The Action Plan and the inaugural annual progress report published in October 2020, represent a clear overview of the 180 or so actions being advanced by c. 60 stakeholders in support of the language and Gaeltacht regions.

Undoubtedly, functioning in the shadow of the pandemic over the last year has proved challenging and this is no less the case in terms of delivery of supports in the domains of Irish language and Gaeltacht affairs.

Nonetheless, significant progress is being made and the forthcoming publication of the second progress report - covering the period from July 2019 to December 2020 - following Government approval, will set out in detail the advances that have been made on a cross-governmental and cross-sectoral basis over the period.

In terms of financial supports for the language insofar as my Department is concerned, I might also point out that an additional exchequer allocation of €14.8m was included in Budget 2021, further enabling support for the language and Gaeltacht regions - particularly in the context of the ongoing implementation of the language planning process and the Policy on Gaeltacht Education, being spearheaded by the Department of Education.

This additional allocation ultimately means that total funding in excess of €78m is being deployed by my Department in support of the Irish language and Gaeltacht regions in the current year.

An overview of measures, schemes and initiatives being undertaken in support of the language can be found on my Department's website as well as those of Údarás na Gaeltachta and Foras na Gaeilge.

Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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110. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if she will consider subsidising Gaeltacht trips for students. [28394/21]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy may be aware that my Department, via Scéim na bhFoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge,subvents the cost of attending summer college in Gaeltacht regions. Under the terms of the scheme, the Department provides a subsidy, currently worth €10 per day (equivalent to €220 per student for a three week course) which benefits over 26,000 students a year while staying in any of the c.700 Gaeltacht households approved under the scheme.

This represents a State investment of over €4m annually in support of the Irish summer colleges sector. Not only does this annual state investment yield benefits in providing language learning and enrichment opportunities to thousands of young people annually, it also generates economic benefits for Gaeltacht regions.

In addition to providing and administering this practical assistance, the Department also administers a number of further specific measures under the scheme, including: DEIS Gaeltachta. Under this measure which was introduced in 2019, 50 scholarships are made available annually - worth c. €850 each - to qualifying students attending DEIS post-primary schools. The scheme is administered on behalf of the Department by Galway and Roscommon Education and Training Board.

Due to COVID-19, it was not possible to provide the scholarships last year nor indeed this year, following the recent decision not to proceed with recognised Irish summer courses, in the interests of protecting public health.

It is envisaged that the provision of scholarships under DEIS Gaeltachta will resume next year or as soon as it is safe to do so. The number of scholarships made available under the measure will of course be kept under consideration in the context of available resources and competing demands. However, it is a stated priority of mine to expand this scheme in order to increase the availability of the Gaeltacht experience to students from all socio-economic backgrounds.

In the interest of completeness, the Deputy may be interested to note that both I and my officials are continuing to engage with the summer colleges sector on foot of the decision to cancel courses this summer. The overall purpose of this engagement - which includes discussions with a representative group of Gaeltacht accommodation providers, is to tailor insofar as possible, suitable stabilisation measures with a view to ensuring the sector is on a sound footing for a full and safe return in 2022.