Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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16. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the action being taken by his Department to support the Irish language during Seachtain na Gaeilge 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10206/25]

Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will appreciate, responsibility for the Gaeltacht and the Irish language will be transferring from my Department to Minister Calleary in the coming weeks once final transfer of functions orders are signed. The reply therefore relates to the work of my Department in its current format as the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.

The support the Department provides to the Irish language and Irish speakers is a year-round endeavour. In addition, the Government has been steadfast in its support for the Irish language over many years and has sought to increase funding for the language year on year, resources permitting. Since 2019 funding for the Gaeltacht and Irish language has increased from €55.77m six years ago to €107.33m this year, 2025. That represents an increase of 92% in that period.

Regarding Seachtain na Gaeilge, the festival is the largest Irish language festival in the world. The festival first started in 1902 and sees up to one million people joining in each year. Last year, in my capacity as Minister of State for the Gaeltacht, I announced funding of €600,000 for An Ciste Spreagtha for the period 2024-2026.

I am very pleased that An Ciste Spreagtha, which was initially funded on a year-by-year basis, is now in receipt of multi-annual funding from the Department. It is a support fund which is linked to Seachtain na Gaeilge and administered by Conradh na Gaeilge. The aim of the fund is to encourage community groups, both inside and outside the Gaeltacht, to organize community events in their locality that promote the Irish language as part of the Seachtain na Gaeilge celebrations.

An Ciste Spreagtha has been very successful in providing funding for community groups to organize events during Seachtain na Gaeilge over the past two years. The popularity of the scheme has seen over 160 groups in 2022 and 180 groups in 2023 being granted funding for local events. Under this scheme, efforts are made each year to have events take place in local communities in all corners of Ireland. It is hoped that these events will attract new groups of people to the language and give them an opportunity to practice their Irish in their own locality.

In Gaeltacht areas and in places where the Irish Language has a stronger presence, the participating groups are asked to give people social opportunities to use Irish and to bring the community together to celebrate the language.