Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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42. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will work with on an cross-departmental basis to ensure that there is an adequate supply of early years workers proficient in Irish in Gaeltacht areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [68491/25]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Údarás na Gaeltachta supports the economic, cultural, and social development of Gaeltacht areas. As part of this, Údarás na Gaeltachta provides funding to Comhar Naíonraí na Gaeltachta (CNNG) to support early childhood education and care services operating through Irish in Gaeltacht areas. CNNG is an independent body that provides management, administration services and support to early years services operating through Irish in the Gaeltacht. During the 2025/2026 school year, 2,050 children are attending 135 CNNG early years services across all Gaeltacht areas. These Irish-medium services employ 249 early years workers - a 6.4% increase in terms of staff employed in 2024/2025.

Údarás na Gaeltachta also provides an Scéim Forbartha um Oiliúint Luathbhlianta sa Ghaeltacht (Early Years Training Development Scheme in the Gaeltacht) to assist early years educators working in the Gaeltacht to enhance their early years and care qualifications while continuing to work in the sector. Across the years 2024 and 2025, 32 early years educators working in Gaeltacht settings have been supported to further their qualifications by pursuing QQI accredited courses across levels 5,6,7, 8 and 9 of the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ).

Additionally, Údarás na Gaeltachta is currently working in collaboration with relevant government Departments and agencies to develop a national plan to further the development of Irish language provision in early learning and care (ELC) and school-age childcare (SAC) sector.

Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge, as part of their agreement with my Department, organised a series of workshops in conjunction with Comhar Naíonraí na Gaeltachta for Gaeltacht early years employees in August 2024. These workshops took place in Galway, Donegal and Cork and were attended by over 150 participants. Officials from An tAcadamh are now in discussion with Comhar Naíonraí na Gaeltachta regarding the provision of this type of workshop on a regular basis. My Department has also engaged in discussions with An tAcadamh regarding the inclusion of an Irish language module in future Early Education Degree programmes.

Finally, officials from my Department regularly meets with officials from the Department of Children, Disability and Equality to ensure that the Department has an input into national policies regarding early years education and childcare.