Maeve O'Connell (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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46. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to provide funding for Irish-language conversation classes in third level institutions to support those wishing to learn Irish and also provide an opportunity for those who speak Irish, especially those who attended Gaelscoileanna, to continue to use their Irish within the educational system [14514/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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Our higher education system plays an important role in supporting and promoting the use of the Irish language. I am determined to see that students who wish to learn and continue to use Irish at third level be given opportunities to do so. To this end, officials from my Department sit on the Steering Committee for the new policy on Irish-medium education outside of the Gaeltacht. It should be noted that higher education institutions are autonomous in their Irish language strategies, including the provision and expansion of university courses offered through the Irish language.However, ring-fenced funding of €900,000 is provided annually by my Department to support greater use of the Irish language by students and staff in our higher education institutions. This funding is allocated through the HEA as block grants, allowing institutions fund their own Irish-language initiatives.The HEA also distributes funding of €1.8 million annually from my Department for the development of Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge at the University of Galway, with additional funding coming from the Department of the Gaeltacht. Additionally, the HEA sponsors the Gníomhaí Gaeilge initiative and has provided €150,000 in funding over the last three years to develop Irish language skills among students in Irish language clubs and societies through mentorship and training, in partnership with the Union of Students in Ireland and Conradh na Gaeilge. These supports are in addition to any initiatives which are independently sponsored by third level institutions themselves, in order to support students who wish to learn or improve their Irish language skills.