Pádraig O'Sullivan (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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36. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht her plans to promote the use of the Irish language outside of Gaeltacht areas; if there are funding streams available through her Department for an Irish language centre in Cork, similar to the centre established in Clondalkin, Dublin 22; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3696/23]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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The Programme for Government includes a specific pledge to “Promote the development of Irish Language Centres in Dublin and across the country, for a community-based approach to Irish-language promotion.”In practical terms, my Department provides significant support for the development of Irish language centres outside of the Gaeltacht, through the Irish Language Support Schemes (Capital), with an allocation of €4.5 million available for 2023.

The purpose of the Language Supports Scheme programme is to promote the use of the Irish language outside the Gaeltacht by providing funding to voluntary and community organisations working in the sector. Funding can be provided to assist with the costs associated with building or upgrading Irish language centres and for the purchase of buildings for such use. Capital support is also available for the purchase of equipment for such centres, while current funding is available to promote the use of the language in the digital, business and arts sectors, among others.

Full details of the range of supports available to promote the language are available in the third progress report on the implementation of the Government’s Action Plan for the Irish Language 2018-2022, which was recently published on my Department's website.