Jen Cummins (Dublin South Central, Social Democrats)
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573. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if there are grants available for students from lower socio-economic backgrounds to attend the Gaeltacht every summer. [16591/25]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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In order to foster language acquisition and enrichment opportunities in the Gaeltacht outside of the post-primary education system for learners of the language, the Department provides a subsidy under Scéim na bhFoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge/the Irish Language Learners Scheme (SFG) payable to qualifying Gaeltacht households providing accommodation for those attending an Irish course in any one of the c. 40 Irish-language colleges operating under the scheme.

The Department's subsidy, currently worth €13 per day (equivalent to €273 per student for a three-week course) benefits over 27,000 learners per year while staying in any of the c.520 Gaeltacht households approved under the scheme.

SFG represents a State investment of almost €6m 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 that aids accessibility in terms of reducing overall course costs, the Department also administers a number of further specific measures under the umbrella of the scheme, including DEIS Gaeltachta.

The DEIS Gaeltachta initiative commenced in 2019 with an allocation of €50,000 in order to assist in providing opportunities to post-primary school students attending DEIS schools to attend recognised Irish summer colleges. Additional funding was allocated to this initiative in recent years, bringing the total funding available for the scheme to €900,000 annually. Over 800 scholarships are offered annually worth c.€950 each (or 85% of the course fee whichever is lesser, for a three-week course) and €820 (or 85% of the course fee whichever is lesser, for a two-week course) to provide unique opportunities for attendees of DEIS post-primary schools throughout the country to attend a summer college in the Gaeltacht. This initiative, administered by Galway Roscommon Education and Training Board (GRETB) on behalf of my Department, will continue in 2025.

The Department is aware that there are other scholarship schemes in operation by the Irish colleges themselves, sporting organisations and other bodies. However, my Department has no oversight of said schemes and, therefore, would not have any information to share in this regard.