Research and Development
7. Deputy Martin Daly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science given the value he places on clusters of third level institutions and innovation hubs, if there are clear pathways and supports in place for establishing and expanding such hubs in the west of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56014/25]
25. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the steps being taken to develop co-operation and relationships between third level institutions and industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56041/25]
I ask the Minister to state, given the value placed on clusters of third level institutions and innovation hubs, whether there are clear pathways and supports in place for establishing and expanding such hubs, especially in the west. I raise that in the context of a very successful urological-surgical innovation hub based at Atlantic Technological University, ATU, in Galway, in collaboration with the University of Illinois Chicago.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 25 together
Gabhaim buíochas le Teachta Daly. Deputy Timmins is on this question as well. The question refers to the collaboration between innovation hubs, industry and third level institutions. My Department has, I believe a strong economic focus; it should have and does have. I am committed to making sure this is an economic Ministry that drives the needs of industry and engages with industry, labour force planning and skills development and the critical role of research and development in driving that knowledge economy. We should be working very closely with industry and taking the lead from skills needs of the future. The national skills group is working on that and on understanding what the projected needs are while supporting and collaborating with industry.
That collaboration between the tertiary system across all the different educational frameworks and enterprise is critical. I have underpinned that through a number of strategic engagements with enterprise agencies such as IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland, with representative bodies such as IBEC, ISME and others, individual enterprises and multinationals and indeed many firms that are leading-edge in technology and research and who are active in Ireland, including in Deputy Daly's region. He will be familiar with them. Part of that is driven at a policy level through platforms, including the national skills council, which I mentioned; the regional skills forums, where we understand the current market needs and emerging needs of the labour force; real-time insights from partners working in sectors; and then programmes like Springboard+, Microcredentials and Microqualifications and Skills to Advance. These look at the skills needs and how industry and the education sector can work together and supply different course offerings that are tailored and flexible to the needs of the learner, particularly the working learner, who might take a full-time offering but will perhaps take a microcredit and plug one on top of the other to gain a further qualification.
There is also the Research Ireland accelerating research to commercialisation, ARC, hubs programme, cofunded by Department and the Government with support from the EU. It aims to establish new models for regional innovation and entrepreneurial training. That looks to accelerate the transition to the market of research coming from a higher education institute. It is from the fab to the lab, as we say in the case of semiconductors; similarly, it applies to many other fields as well. That is so important because academics are often performing an outstanding piece of work but they may not be equipped to take it to the next level - to the market, and to commercialise it or even bring it to mass production to benefit many more people.
I am engaging with the Deputy on the urology project he advocated for. It is a very interesting project. It is a good example of where we can take that industry collaboration and plug it into the research ecosystem. There is a synergy and it lifts all. I welcome it and I am quite keen to engage further on that one. There are many others, if we look at the ARC hub and for health and tech. I was at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, RCSI, yesterday. It has a collaboration with the ATU on health technology. It has also been working through that. There is a western regional skills forum that allows business in counties Galway, Mayo and Roscommon to assess and develop skills for their employees and work in partnership with them.
On the technological universities more generally, one of their aims is to provide technical expertise rooted in the regions, working with and close to industry to allow that local and regional collaboration to progress. That is such an important project and I am very committed that. There are a number of initiatives I want to roll out further within the technological universities over the course of this year and subsequent years. There is a lot of work going on. A lot done, more to do.
Deputy Daly is sharing time with Deputy Timmins.
I thank the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach. I was unsure.
I thank the Minister. In this model with the University of Illinois Chicago, extending into other areas of medicine is talked about. Urology is the template they have used in ATU. It provides expertise based on research and innovation. It has developed a venture studio model, which draws on the experience of world-class entrepreneurs and scientists that mentor researchers to bring their work to start-up. That is the important link. We have a lot of research going on but it is about bringing that research into the real world and mentoring the people who have done the research so they can bring it to business. That is what we are aiming for. I am assured it has a long track record in this area and because of its reputation, it has the ability to attract major investors.
I appreciate the Minister's engagement on this matter. He might make a statement as well on the new supercomputer collaboration with the University of Galway.
Yes.
I thank the Minister. He certainly seems well aware of the importance of the third level link with industry so he has certainly answered my first question.
I want to make another couple of points. I have seen examples over the years where third level institutes have linked in with industry. This has worked really well. It also offers graduates employment opportunities in industries located close to their colleges. This is especially true in the areas of technology, science and engineering. As well as benefiting graduates in the institutions, it also means the industries are more embedded in the area. Both the third level institutions and the industry feed off each other and offer huge benefits to both sides. I ask the Minister to do everything in his power to develop these relationships.
I thank both Deputies. I will respond to Deputy Daly on the urology project. It is a project I am very keen to explore further and there are already a number of projects like that we are developing in the regions. The New Frontiers programme in Castlebar and Galway has a start-up ecosystem working with ATU, and perhaps the urology project could be done along the same lines.
On the supercomputer, I was very keen when I came into this Department that Ireland should remain at the leading edge of digital, quantum and artificial intelligence. That requires significant computing power. We need a supercomputer. All of the most advanced research activity generates huge datasets. Storage and computational power are needed to make sense of those and make discoveries. I initiated the process of procuring a new supercomputer that will be managed by the University of Galway. The Irish Centre for High-End Computing is already in the University of Galway. It is doing a tremendous job on that. In fact, the Galway-led bid we submitted to the European HPC facility came third out of 17. It was very highly ranked and strongly received. We are also pursuing an AI antenna, an artificial intelligence factory that plugs into Luxembourg and France and allows collaboration at an EU level in those areas. It is so important if we are to remain at the forefront. We are talking about digital technologies but there are also health informatics, digital public services and the power to assimilate and understand data for all kinds of modelling, such as climate and transport. Many areas of public need can now be met by that and require that power. I am keen that we remain at the forefront of that.
Deputy Timmins is absolutely right about collaboration with industry and how we make sure that lands and succeeds. Some of the things I want to embed or offer as ancillary supports for postgraduate students include communications and enterprise modules. Start-ups and spin-outs should be encouraged as well. Yes, we want researchers publishing citations, papers and publications but we also want to see campus companies beginning to come out again, giving enterprise a lift. There are some collaborations; iBio in UL is one such collaboration with industry. I would like to develop more programmes that are copartnered.
I thank the Minister. When speaking to the group of people involved in this project in Galway, one of the points they made was that there are many institutions in the United States which, in the current climate, are looking for bases in the European Union. Ireland has this opportunity. We talk about the threat of tariffs and the difficulties in getting new industry here. We will hold our existing industry, but the concern is that down the road research and development will move away from us. There is an opportunity to reverse this flow and get this expertise from world-class universities in the United States to base their research hubs in Ireland. They have assured me they can base their hub anywhere. I mentioned Ballinasloe, which is in my constituency, but they would be happy to base anywhere. With technology and the use of high-grade computers, they can carry out their research in collaboration with institutions in Ireland.
I absolutely agree this is part of the response to the challenges posed by the changing trade and tariff situation. We are entering an age of deglobalisation. We also have many other factors to contend with. It is important we maintain that industrial base and that knowledge economy we fought so hard to develop over the past 30 or 40 years. The key to that is the knowledge economy and investment in research, innovation and education. In terms of stickiness, it is easier to move a factory offshore than it is to move a research hub because the deeper dive performed within the area, the harder it is to replicate it and move elsewhere. We need to continue and invest. That is why I am working with agencies like the IDA and Enterprise Ireland.
In terms of mobile talent, talent is our greatest natural asset, and we have some wonderful talent on this island. It is my job to nurture, foster, support and grow that through investment in education and all that we are doing. I am mindful there are many who may be considering relocating from the United States perhaps, or other jurisdictions due to changing trends in their home states. I recently put out a global talent initiative, which is a call to invite researchers from outside of Ireland, including the United States, to consider relocating here. Those people typically come in two categories, naming rising stars, which are young people on the up and who have made a name for themselves but are still forging their path through academia, and established people, who have a very strong record. Both types bring excitement, energy and often funding with them and can contribute significantly to the development of a particular area. I am going to single out Professor J.C. Seamus Davis, an academic in quantum computing in University College Cork. I visited his lab recently. He works in partnership with Tyndall National Institute. He is doing amazing, world-leading research in semiconductors, which is a key part of the global supply chain and a key part of Irish industry. He came through initiatives such as that a number of years ago. One or two people can bring such a critical mass with them that they can develop an entirely new hub or an entirely new research programme or collaboration.
I also intend to announce funding for a new research infrastructure programme in the next number of weeks which will set the foundation layer for equipment, laboratories, computing power and all the base layer that is required to build this because we need a solid foundation to let this work happen. It is critical to our economy and society that we should do so.
Education and Training Boards
8. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the role of the ETBs in higher education, and where they sit in the education hierarchy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56040/25]
The education and training boards, ETBs, offer many different post-leaving certificate, PLC, courses that often lead into third level education. In many cases these courses are suitable for leaving certificate students. What is the role of the ETBs in higher education and where they sit in the education hierarchy?
The 16 ETBs are the backbone of further education and training, FET, context in local communities. They were established under the Education and Training Board Act 2013 and are funded and overseen by SOLAS, the further education and training authority, which is funded by my Department. The ETBs play a critical role in supporting inclusion, community involvement, outreach, developing critical skills, and underpinning the workforce development and lifelong learning agenda as part of the wider tertiary system. Provision in the FET sector includes accredited programmes at levels 1 to 6 on the national framework of qualifications, NFQ, as well as unaccredited options. This ranges from foundational skills such as literacy and numeracy, entry-level type courses, through to bridging programmes such as Youthreach, an incredibly important programme, at levels 3 and 4 going on to levels 5 and 6, including post-leaving certificate courses which involve progression to employment or higher education. The tertiary degrees are a wonderful initiative where a student can commence learning at a local ETB or further education centre, take a level 5 or level 6 qualification and go on to attend university for a level 7 or level 8 qualification. It takes away the fear factor or confidence factor of making that leap. They can take a smaller step locally but can then progress to a third level qualification beyond that.
Traineeships, apprenticeships and specific skills training focus on work-based learning and direct employment pathways through the ETBs. We have visited many local ETBs, as has Minister of State, Deputy Harkin. We have both gone around them over the past number of months and continue to be impressed by the work they do. They engage with the regional skills fora, with local employers and local industries, to ensure the needs of labour force is being met. ETBs also work with higher education institutions - the universities, the colleges, the technological universities - to create pathways from FET into higher education and qualifications beyond level 6. I mentioned the tertiary programmes where learners can start closer to home in a more comfortable, familiar setting without the attendant commuting, etc., and can progress to a third level institute beyond that.
I ask that all ETB schools promote these courses within their schools, but also that the ETB colleges and courses are promoted within non-ETB schools. The ETBs also offer apprenticeships. Could relevant funding be allocated to promote these apprenticeship courses? The apprenticeships have been encouraged and have grown since the Tánaiste, Deputy Simon Harris, was Minister for higher education. Our leaving certificate is very academic orientated, and it is not suitable for everyone. School leavers who do not wish to pursue the CAO route need to be considered. Not everyone wants a college degree. On the other hand, as the Minister said, many ETBs offer tertiary courses that offer an entry to third level college, giving a new pathway to degree courses in many fields. This is a fantastic opportunity for those who are determined to go to third level, but who did not get the required CAO points for the course they wanted. These opportunities need to be promoted more.
I fully agree with Deputy Timmins. There are a couple of ways to look at this. The promotion of further education options and apprenticeships is really important. We have a job of work to do as a country and a society in persuading people of that and advocating for it. I make the argument every day that apprenticeships and further education in general should never be seen as second best or some kind of rung below. They are absolutely equal, exciting, tangible and can be a very rewarding pathway into a career as a first-choice option. That is a message we need to repeat. We must align our access to education through combined pathways and continue to promote that message through guidance counselling and all those areas. It is key we do that. I have visited a number of ETB schools, which have both second level and further education going on in the building. I was in Gorey Institute of Further Education recently and Mullingar Community College not so long ago and a number of what we call dual schools. They could do a body of work promoting options within them. Indeed, non-ETB schools could do the same. I am not going to trespass on Minister for Education and Youth, Deputy McEntee's area because second level education and guidance counselling, etc., comes under her remit, but that is something we would all be supportive of.
ETB courses are by and large free or very low cost. ETBs offer a range of short courses along with longer duration courses. Are these courses achieving their aim? What is the workforce-entry success for people who do these courses? Are the short-term courses achieving their aim or are they just being done as a tick-box exercise by people who are unemployed? Are they contributing to these people entering the labour market or following on to some apprenticeship or PLC course? In the area of disability, Ireland has the lowest labour participation rate in Europe. I understand some ETBs offer work-ready courses. Can the ETB play a bigger role in improving labour participation rate within the disability sector?
How closely aligned are the ETBs to industry? Can they build closer relationships with industry, as discussed earlier, and plan their training programmes to align with industry needs? This is a dynamic situation and should be kept under constant review. Regarding transport, can students access these courses and are transport links being developed?
There is a lot there. If I do not get to it all in 60 seconds, I will come back to Deputy Timmins. ETBs provide a very valuable role across a number of areas and a number of goals. I never regard an educational course as a tick box. The pursuit of knowledge is a public good. Whether someone is in the labour force, is unemployed or has disabilities, it is always a benefit to the individual and to society if they progress their education to whatever extent, short or long. There are many different paths through it. We have early school leavers who avail of community training centres.
There are specialist training providers in the system for people with disabilities. There are community education organisations. Some learners will progress a FET qualification. They can then be QQI awarded and given points for that, which they can then use to apply to the CAO directly, coming through what we call a QQI pathway rather than the traditional leaving certificate points system. There are also the tertiary courses I mentioned. There are a number of different options. There is everything from specialist industrial skills to people pursuing knowledge and hobbies and gaining confidence to come outside the home and pursue education. There is a range of different courses and objectives. I would consider them all of significant value.
Third Level Fees
9. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the cost of third level fees in 2024 and 2025. [54973/25]
My question refers to the difference between third level fees in 2024 and in 2025. It is a very straightforward question, but it does not seem to be so for members of the Government. It is very frustrating for Members of the House and students and their families. People's backs are broken trying to make ends meet in respect of day-to-day costs. To top it off, they have to deal with the massive expense of putting themselves or their children through college. Essentially, student fees have increased. Why is the Government trying to sell this as a reduction? Fees are up this year.
That is not quite the question the Deputy asked but I will answer. The question she asked concerned the cost of third level fees. My Department provides significant funding for tuition fee supports for students every year, including funding under the free fees initiative, which are sometimes referred to as tuition fees. Every undergraduate student in the State, bar certain exceptions such as those studying a second time or international students, has their tuition fees paid in full by my Department. There are also things like the student grant scheme, Springboard and a student contribution fee, which is on top of the tuition fees which are paid in full.
Despite being referred to as free fees, someone has to pay for them. The State pays for them, and is glad to do so. Last year, the cost was €628 million. The fee for the 2025-26 year is not yet known because we are still in it. It is expected to be of a similar magnitude. We arrived at that figure through a number of ways. The free fees initiative and tuition fees come to a cost of €380 million. The contribution fee was €147 million last year, when there was €1,000 to address the cost of living. The student contribution fees paid by SUSI come to €101 million. That adds up to €628 million. That is the figure the Deputy asked for in terms of cost.
Sinn Féin's prebudget submission suggested that we cut the cost in years one and two by €1,500 and abolish fees in years three, four and five. That would cost about €1.6 billion. It is not clear whether the proposal extended to apprenticeships and postgraduate qualifications, etc. I would welcome clarification on that from the Deputy. What would we cut by €1.6 billion in order to do that? I would be interested in hearing the views of the Deputy on that. Perhaps I will come back to the other points in supplementary replies because the clock is ticking.
I will go back to what this is costing hard-working families. People are very smart and they know they have been charged an additional €500 this year compared to the fees they paid last year. The Minister said the Government reduced the fees last year. It contested the election on reducing them further, but then increased them. That is what happened.
There is a myth in Ireland that, as the Minister said, we have free fees and education, but that is not the lived reality or what people feel on the ground. They do not feel that is the case in early years education or in our schools. There are voluntary contributions in schools which parents have to pay because schools are unable to subsidise themselves. The Government advertised a policy of free fees and said it is doing a lot for the people, but the reality is that college fees and school contributions are coming out of people's pockets. Everything is on families.
Everything comes out of people's pockets because State resources are taxpayers' money and we all have to have respect for and be judicious in how we spend them. I am always very careful how I spend taxpayers' money which comes out of their hard-earned pay packets. It is important that we do this in a way that is socially just, progressive and targeted, and gets the most support to those who need it the most. I hope the Deputy agrees with me on that because it is a fundamental principle. If she does not, I would be interested in knowing why.
Third level education is my remit and the Minister, Deputy McEntee, and others can talk about the other systems. Spending €628 million on fees alone is a significant annual support. There are other initiatives. I cannot speak to previous budgets because I was not a Minister or part of those Governments, but cost-of-living supports were provided at difficult times through Ukraine, Covid and the cost-of-living crisis, and that made sense at the time. We are now into a different dynamic. I was keen to do something that was permanent, costed, sustainable and within the baseline of my Department. That means it is there to stay and the uncertainty and anxiety of will-they-won't-they every summer is gone. There is a €500 permanent cut there to stay.
Sinn Féin advocated for a €500 decrease this year, but instead of that the Minister has increased it. I want him to recognise that fact and let people know that fees have increased by €500 this year. He should not fool people. They are not silly and recognise what is happening. I am a parent and I realise, like everybody else, that fees have gone up. The Minister can provide big figures like €628 million, but people are paying their taxes towards that. The Government has to recognise that. People are paying their taxes towards this, but have to pay additional costs every year for education. Education in this country is not free.
Again, it is about choices. It is about managing with limited resources to provide the most support in a targeted and progressive way. I am confident that I have achieved that as best as I can this year with the resources available to me through a universal cut to the student contribution fee. I appreciate that it is more than students paid last year. I get that because they had a voucher last year which expired on 31 December and was not there this year. The budgetary situation meant that there was less money there to change that. I cannot cash in that voucher and neither can any student. I can give them something permanent that they can take this year, next year and every other year. We may well develop that further. That is the starting point for the first budget in the first term and I am proud to be able to deliver the first permanent cut in fees in 30 years.
As well as that, and just as important, I have increased maintenance grants for all non-adjacent students for the first four bands and the special rates, which are bands one, two and three, which will make a significant difference to those families on lower incomes or at risk of poverty and target money towards those students. There is also money for students with mental health issues and disabilities. I have increased the threshold so that lower income households should not be paying fees at all and middle-income families will receive significant support, given the salary band below which students can receive supports is now €120,000.
Education Schemes
10. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of new resources from budget 2026 allocated specifically to further education and training provision, community education, Youthreach and community training centres; the capital and current funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55972/25]
I would like to ask the Minister about specific allocations in the budget for further education and training, community education, Youthreach and community training centres. These programmes play a vital role in inclusion, lifelong learning and skills development, yet they operate with limited resources. Could the Minister please outline the new resources, capital and current, that are being allocated and explain how these will strengthen local provision for further education?
I thank the Deputy. My Department has secured a gross allocation of almost €5 billion in budget 2026. That will support the delivery of inclusive high-quality learning opportunities across the entire tertiary education system. In 2026, we secured an additional investment of €79 million for apprenticeship delivery, as well as €2.5 million to permanently reduce student fees for apprenticeships. This is not a once-off. This is the largest single investment since the Department was formed in 2020. The total investment for apprenticeships will be over €400 million, more than double what it was in 2020.
I have also secured investment of €2 million to expand the fund for students with disabilities, ensuring that learners with intellectual disabilities are supported across all levels of study. This will increase that fund from €5.7 million to €7.7 million in 2026. In addition, a funding uplift of over €30 million was allocated, which includes public sector and other pay increases and supports the retention of staff in the FET sector.
Community education, Youthreach and community training centres, CTCs, are valued pillars of the further education and training sector. While no specific additional funding was acquired in budget 2026, SOLAS has advised that the allocation for this cohort increased from nearly €123 million in 2024 to €126 million in 2025. On the last part of the Deputy's question, the capital allocation for the tertiary sector for 2026 is €810 million, representing a significant increase from the 2025 allocation of €677 million. Finally, the allocation for the FET sector will be finalised in the coming weeks.
It is wonderful to see the amount of money going into all that which the Minister of State outlined. It is much needed. I am concerned, however, for three parts, one of which is capital budgets for buildings. The Minister of State has visited many different places around the country. As she knows, I have worked in education for a very long time, and I have been to see adult education centres, Youthreach programmes and community training centres that are working out of buildings that really need to be retrofitted. They are cold, old and draughty. Capital investment in this area is important to make sure learners, teachers and staff are well supported.
The other thing I am interested in is ring-fencing resources for those organisations. The fantastic courses that are provided in each of these centres need to be accompanied by resources, such as 3D printers, to facilitate upskilling all the time. I am just using that as an example, but it is about ring-fencing resources in particular. I will come back in on pay and conditions.
To specifically answer the Deputy's question around capital, the allocation for the tertiary sector in 2026 is €810 million. Last year, the allocation was €677 million, so we can see that represents an increase of €133 million, which is quite significant. That will help to deliver research capacity and a pipeline of transformative projects, which will support a thriving, inclusive - that is a really important word - and future-focused education and research ecosystem. The allocation to the further education and training sector will be finalised in the coming period, and it is important to say it will support infrastructure projects through the minor capital works emergency health and safety works, small- and medium-scale projects under the strategic infrastructure upgrade fund and large-scale projects under the FET College of the Future, which, as the Deputy knows, is a major project fund.
I am a bit concerned that the FET aspect will only be finalised in the future. FET sometimes is forgotten, and it is such an important part. The Minister of State talked about inclusive education. FET is a form of education that enables social mobility. People entering into FET often come through community and adult education. We need to make sure that is not forgotten.
With regard to pay and conditions, the last point I want to raise is that for Youthreach and community centres, even though they are valued, there is no additional funding. I know from working on the ground that there is a difficulty with funding, particularly for community training centres. I am on the board of one such centre. It has windows that are in bits, and it is draughty. That capital expenditure is important, but so are the pay and conditions for those staff members who still have not been brought into the public sector. It is really important that when we have all these millions and billions of euro, the nitty-gritty on the ground has to be addressed, particularly for staff members because they cannot teach vulnerable learners if they are not protected in their employment.
I will deal with two issues the Deputy raised, one of which is funding to community education, Youthreach and CTCs. I did say there is no specific additional funding in 2026. SOLAS has advised that the investment in community education increased by 55% from 2018 to 2024, from nearly €11 million to over €70 million now. Therefore, we can see that the funding is increasing. We also introduced the reach fund in 2020. The Deputy knows what that fund does and the importance of it. We are pleased to announce that over €4.5 million from that fund will benefit more than 700 community education providers. SOLAS has advised that in regard to Youthreach, the allocation has increased from €74 million in 2024 to €76 million this year.
Finally, in regard to public sector pay grades and pay and conditions, the community training centres were established in 1977. They are grant aided by the education and training boards. In response to the Deputy's query, the Department has no role in the employment of CTC staff, including terms and conditions for the pay. As the Deputy knows, because she is a member of the board, it is the responsibility of the independent board of directors.
Student Accommodation
11. Deputy Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his proposals to ensure the adequate provision of accommodation for students. [54974/25]
My question to the Minister is in relation to the provision of accommodation for students. When students got their CAO results and started college this year, there was huge excitement about being sent off to college and everything. However, stress was induced a few days later with the experience of trying to acquire accommodation, which was impossible because of the increased cost of third level, in particular, and the cost of accommodation at campuses, which is not always available. Worryingly, we now see that students signed leases before the CAO offers were made just to ensure they had accommodation. What are the Minister's proposals in relation to accommodation?
This is something I am very aware of and very keen to make progress on. It is multi-faceted; it is not a one-size-fits-all solution. My immediate and short-term focus has been on enabling stalled projects to proceed by tackling the viability issues. The €100 million in the short-term activation programme has been put aside for this purpose. Under that programme, some beds are reserved for priority students under the national access plan at reduced rents on a 30% basis. Therefore, 30% of beds are ring-fenced for SUSI recipients for a period of 30 years. Measures like that are very important in any State-funded accommodation.
As part of that programme, I approved funding of €67 million just last month to enable UCD to enter into contracts. Indeed, I turned the sod with President Orla Feely out there a few weeks ago. That will deliver 493 new student beds. I also opened Maynooth University's 116-bed project at the start of September in Teach Uí Bhuachalla, or Buckley House.
We have other measures, including things like VAT. In the recent budget, we reduced VAT from 13.5% to 9% on new apartment construction. I engaged with the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, on that measure to ensure it will help to unlock up to 15,000 additional student beds that have planning permission but have not progressed. Some of that is because of viability and cost issues.
In June, I published the Design Guide for State Sponsored Student Accommodation. That will support the optimisation of capacity in new developments and should also accelerate the delivery of that accommodation. I am working with the technological universities, TUs, through the technological sector student accommodation programme, which is an activation measure through which supports are provided to allow the TUs to develop their own accommodation and to support them in progressing that. I intend to publish the long-term student accommodation strategy, which is a work in progress at the moment, by the end of this year. It will include a range of measures across viability, affordability, increasing supply and maximising the amount of accommodation to make sure it is available to students. I am also working with the Minister, Deputy Browne, on the rent pressure zone legislation, which is expected to come through the House shortly to ensure it contains adequate protections for students.
I very much welcome all the ideas the Minister has put forward. However, I appreciate that the previous strategy is coming to an end. Were all the ideas the previous Minister came up with in that strategy acted on and did they all fall into place? The previous strategy was to cover 2017 to 2021. I understand that it has come to an end, but I would like to see whether the actions in that strategy actually happened. Actions are great, but I like to see work done and things happen. I welcome the Minister's intention to increase the number of apartments for students, but I want to see action on the ground. Will this be delivered over a five-year basis, and will there be a certain amount done in each year?
That is very much the plan and what will be contained in the new strategy when we put all the bits of the jigsaw together and launch it. That will then guide everybody from local authorities to people in construction to the different higher education institutions to progress.
The actions in the last plan have progressed. That is why the €100 million in the short-term activation fund is there. That is why I was able to turn the sod at UCD recently and why we were able to bring on stream the new beds in Maynooth. There are others within that programme that we expect to come good through that scheme in the new future, because it is important that we maximise the availability of accommodation. We have other measures and supports such as the rent tax credit. One of the reasons I increased maintenance grants for non-adjacent students in this year's budget was to reflect the reality that additional accommodation costs and indeed transport costs for those living a bit further way in a non-adjacent setting can be challenging.
The Minister said that the actions in the previous strategy did come good, but how come students cannot get accommodation this year? With the new strategy, will purpose-built student complexes charge additional affordable service and utility charges? Will the Minister ensure that additional charges and rent hikes will not happen again in rent pressure zones, and that the purpose-built accommodation will be retained for this purpose specifically? Can the Minister promise that?
I thank the Deputy. The first phase of the previous strategy set a target of 7,000 units and 8,000 were delivered, 1,000 above target. Of the second much more ambitious figure of 54,000 units, 49,000 were achieved, which is 91% of the target, at a time of Ukraine, Covid, Brexit and the supply chain crisis. That is a reasonably good foundation on which to build. I am not happy with service charges being levied on students and I have made that clear. I have written to some of the higher education institutions that were engaged in that practice to express my dissatisfaction and frustration. I have put a marker down that this should not be the case. We all have to find common cause on this and work together to maximise and optimise the supply of student accommodation. It is so important that we allow students to have a roof over their head and avoid commuting.
I ask the Deputy to look at her own party. I have written to Deputy McDonald on this. Her own councillor, Ciarán Ó Meachair, is opposed to student accommodation. He put out a leaflet just last month about opposition to student accommodation developments. We cannot speak from both sides of our mouth. I have invited Deputy McDonald to clarify that issue. I have written to her but have not received a reply. I do not know if the Deputy expects her to address it today. The Deputy comes into the House and rightly says we need student accommodation - I agree with her - but she should tell Sinn Féin councillors to stop opposing and objecting to such accommodation.
Apprenticeship Programmes
12. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the steps being taken to expand apprenticeship and skills training opportunities in rural areas such as County Galway, where access to approved training centres remains limited; if consideration will be given to establishing mobile or satellite training hubs in partnership with ETBs to reduce travel and dropout rates among rural apprentices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55759/25]
I welcome the debate here this morning. I ask the Minister to set out the steps being taken to expand apprenticeship and skills training opportunities right across areas such as County Galway, where access to approved training centres remains limited in some instances; if consideration will be given to establishing mobile or satellite training hubs in partnership with ETBs to reduce travel and dropout rates among rural apprentices; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I hear the Deputy's question because this is an issue that has come to my attention, especially in more rural counties. Apprenticeships are national programmes. As much as possible, SOLAS schedules craft apprentices to an available training location near to the home of the apprentice. If a placement is not available near an apprentice's home, SOLAS will endeavour to schedule him or her to attend the nearest available location. As with every other post-secondary education route, not all programmes are available in every location. During their induction, apprentices are advised that they may be required to travel to other counties for training. Apprentices are assigned a training adviser in their employer's region, who provides ongoing support throughout the programme.
Craft apprentices required to travel outside their home region may qualify for an accommodation allowance. Travel and meal allowances are also available, although it is important to say that only one type of allowance is payable per training phase. In the national survey of apprenticeships which was published last month, 87% of apprentices reported that they are enjoying their apprenticeship experience and 84% have developed confidence in their ability to learn. A total of 85% are glad they chose the apprenticeship route and feel part of their organisation, and, crucially, 94% believe their apprenticeship will provide good employment opportunities.
This positive experience is reflected in the relatively low non-progression rates. That is something we should look at where apprenticeships are concerned. There are very low non-progression rates. Between 90% and 92% of first-year apprentices progress to their second year.
I thank the Minister of State for the comprehensive response. We all need to promote and support apprenticeships and to encourage apprentices to follow through to qualification, because there is a much-needed requirement and demand, particularly to service industry. If we think about construction, that is the core heart of people we will need in the future. We need them now, but the more encouragement we can give them to follow through with their apprenticeships and training, the better it will be for this island.
I thank the Deputy. I absolutely agree. That is why an extra €79 million was acquired in this budget for apprenticeships, bringing the overall investment to nearly €411 million. That is clear evidence of the Government's determination to fund the apprentice system. It is more than just funding. It is also ensuring that more and more people see apprenticeships as a viable and exciting educational pathway. Much work is going into that. I know the Deputy is concerned about this issue of apprentices receiving training closer to their home location. I fully understand that but it is important to say that every effort is made by SOLAS to try to ensure that can happen. Where learners are travelling outside of their home region, certain allowances are available. They can decline a call to a location up to three times. The system is as flexible as it can be.
I welcome that. The more remote or rural the training courses are, the easier it is, at times, to find accommodation. We almost always hear that in urban settings, accommodation is nigh impossible to secure. In instances where courses could be rolled out in more rural or satellite towns, out of the cities and bigger towns, accommodation is sometimes that bit more accessible. I am interested in the Minister of State's responses on this matter. I appreciate that she is mindful of it and that it is something we can look forward to seeing progressed.
I fully appreciate what the Deputy is saying. Accommodation is a significant issue for all third level students. We are talking about apprenticeships in particular. I just had a look at the apprenticeships that are available in Galway-Roscommon ETB. I see that it offers training in various locations. For example, Galway Technical Institute offers training as an accounting technician, auctioneering and commis chef are offered in Athenry, hairdressing is offered in Galway Technical Institute, and software development is offered in the Mervue training centre. The Deputy can see from that that a real effort is being made. I have just a few locations here. The Deputy will be aware of all of them in his own county. Every effort is being made to try to ensure that the courses available for apprenticeships are in locations that are as suitable as possible for them to attend.
Grant Payments
13. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will review the method used to calculate commuting distance for the SUSI adjacency grant eligibility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56002/25]
I compliment the recent changes made by the Minister in the budget to increase the income thresholds for the SUSI support and to put more families in a position to get the SUSI grant.
Will the Minister's Department review the method used to calculate commuting distances for the SUSI adjacency grant eligibility?
I thank the Deputy. I am conscious of the cost pressures on students who must pay for student accommodation or those who commute. Some may decide to commute instead and that is equally arduous because of the costs and time associated with that.
The grant scheme recognised this by increasing the amounts available this year for non-adjacent students. In recent times, the non-adjacency distance has also been reduced from 45 km to 30 km. That is a progressive move that will bring more people into the non-adjacent net and they can then receive additional supports as a result. SUSI calculates the distance by measuring the shortest, most direct route from the applicant's normal residence to the higher education institution. It uses Google Maps to do it and uses the time of 1 a.m. The reason it is done at night is that Google Maps, as we know, can direct us through all kinds of weird and wonderful routes, depending on traffic patterns or congestion at different times or accidents. The simplest way to get an as-the-crow-flies reading is to do a 1 a.m. calculation using Google Maps from the home to the college. That is how it is calculated.
That method is universally applied across the board. I appreciate there are always going to be edge cases and hard cases but the method is applied equally and universally on the basis of fairness to all students. I have mentioned the additional increases in the maintenance grants for non-adjacent students and the fact the range was recently reduced to 30 km.
I appreciate this is always going to be a challenge. It is one of the reasons we are pursuing the student accommodation strategy so vigorously. There have also been measures like the student Leap card discounts on public transport in recent years, which I also highly support.
I welcome the fact the Minister has outlined a method that prioritises being fair, whereby we give every option to ensure the detail is clear for the family about having that non-adjacent categorisation. There is one thing we should examine, namely, the household income threshold. This should reflect in some way the institution the student wishes to attend. If we take my own example, I am fortunate to live in Galway city and my children have a wide range of options to attend third level education on our doorstep through University of Galway and HEU. However, for somebody who might live beyond the 30 km radius in Connemara, on the Aran Islands or in some part of west Mayo or the midlands, the cost of attending education for that family and the child is more significant than it is for my children, yet my household income is assessed in the same way as the household income of that family. We should look at income thresholds in that respect.
The Deputy makes an interesting point. The income thresholds have increased this year to €120,000 so Members of the Oireachtas would qualify for SUSI support, which I think may be a first. It is at a significant level and it has certainly gone beyond those who may be at risk of poverty or are on lower incomes. They rightly receive more support but up to €120,000, families are now in receipt of SUSI supports, which is very progressive and is the highest it has ever been.
Regarding regional balance, which I think the Deputy alluded to in his question on students who may be attending other institutions and may incur greater costs, one of the things I am exploring in this budget, and I have set aside some money for a pilot, is the cost of placements. This might include a Gaeltacht placement, for example, on some courses or placements in healthcare institutions, as well as equipment purchases if a student has to purchase laboratory equipment, a uniform or other items. I have commissioned a pilot and have committed moneys to it in the current year to see what exactly could be helped in that regard, what courses need what supports on a custom basis and how we can do something that is fair and uniform. We can then develop that further in subsequent budgets once we have teased that out.
I welcome that. Again, it contributes to the impression I have of the Minister in terms of innovation and what he is bringing to this Department to make sure more people can access third level education and that no opportunity is denied.
To reiterate, there is some inequity in that household income is assessed irrespective of a student's adjacency or proximity to the third level institution. That is something we can look at it. We must recognise it is going to cost some people more . I acknowledge that we recognise that in the provision of the grant, and I fully welcome what the Minister has outlined about increasing the income threshold and the grant this year. That is all very progressive and I hope we continue in that vein, but there is something worth examining in the household income threshold for me in comparison with somebody who does not live as near to a third level institution.
The Deputy is right; the cost will increase. The non-adjacent grant is greater for that reason. A student will receive more significant support if they live farther away from the college and it begins to taper down the closer they live to the college to reflect the fact they may not require accommodation or that their transport costs may be less if they live adjacent to the college. All the non-adjacent bands increased this year for that reason, to reflect the reality that it is going to be more expensive if a student is required to travel to their institution.
The Deputy has made good points and I am happy to take them on board. I will continue to do so as we consider all these measures.
Rural Schemes
82. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the total funding available for the CLÁR programme in 2026, the funding available for each measure under the programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55960/25]
As the Minister is aware, because he represents a rural county, like the two rural counties I have the privilege to represent, the CLÁR programme has been particularly important since it was first initiated by our former Oireachtas colleague, Éamon Ó Cuív. It has been particularly important for ensuring the provision of community facilities and for enhancing public facilities such as schools. I hope the Minister has a good allocation for the forthcoming year to continue the good work of recent years that was undertaken through CLÁR funding.
The CLÁR programme is an important funding stream for many of our most rural areas. In recent years, it has funded a vast array of community amenities, including community centres, sporting facilities, playgrounds, sensory gardens and walking trails. It has also provided funding for vehicles used to transport people with disabilities to access vital cancer services among others. Since 2020, over €53 million has been approved for almost 1,300 projects nationwide under the programme. I launched the 2025 programme in April inviting applications under three measures. Measure 1 of the programme supports the development of community facilities and amenities. Measure 2 provides support for the provision of vehicles to transport people with mobility issues or for cancer treatment, for community first responders and for meals on wheels. Measure 3 aims to support communities on our offshore islands in line with the Department’s policy for the development of our inhabited offshore islands, Our Living Islands. Last month I announced funding of €1.7 million under measure two for the provision of 32 vehicles to support first responders, meals on wheels and mobility transport providers.
We are concluding the assessment of applications received under measures one and three, and I look forward to announcing successful projects across these measures before the end of 2025. We are pleased to have secured an additional €1m as part of the budget for CLÁR 2026. This will bring the 2026 allocation to €12 million, which is a doubling of the CLÁR budget over the past five years. The Minister of State and I will review the measures to be included under CLÁR 2026, and the associated levels of funding. We will launch the programme for 2026 in quarter 1 of next year.
I thank the Minister for his response. I know of his commitment to this programme, both from serving in opposition as a spokesperson and government, where he has continued his good work. I also recognise the work of my former constituency colleague, Heather Humphreys, in enhancing the CLÁR programme. I am sure the Minister will continue to enhance that programme. We all know that the provision of facilities nowadays for communities or small schools is costly, be they playgrounds or other much-needed facilities. The CLÁR grant scheme is essential for enabling the smaller populated communities to put in place amenities and some sporting and recreational facilities. It is a vote of confidence in those communities. In the past, those communities were losing population. Thankfully, most of those communities are growing their population and we need to have facilities in place to ensure people living locally can have proper amenities and community facilities to avail of.
I agree with the Deputy. We have made changes to CLÁR since I took office. I increased the maximum payable grant for a successful measure one project from €50,000 to €65,000. For two measure 1 applications, local authorities can apply for an increased level of funding of €100,000. I have provided for an extra application by local authorities that have Gaeltacht areas in their counties, so those areas can be supported. As the Deputy stated, the emphasis of CLÁR is on supporting infrastructure to assist communities in being resilient and the development of communities. The recent announcements on transport included €41,000 for Cavan local development and for meals on wheels. In all, 62 CLÁR projects have been approved in Cavan since 2020 to the value of €2.72 million. There have been 71 in Monaghan to the value of €2.78 million. It includes sensory gardens, sports facilities, community halls and a teenage hangout area in Ballybay.
With regard to Storm Éowyn, many of the services that were put in place, such as meals on wheels and the provision of vehicles, as well as a community facility and some of the hubs that were used during the storm, would not have been there were it not for CLÁR grant assistance. The Minister will often have heard me speak in this House and within the party about the importance of cross-Border funding, the former INTERREG programme and the current PEACEPLUS programme.
I want to record my sincere appreciation of the Minister's work, along with that of the chief executive of the Special EU Programmes Body, Gina McIntyre, in advancing an application by Cavan County Council, the county board of the Cavan GAA and the Royal School Cavan to develop a major regional sports campus in Cavan town. I am delighted that formal approval of €15 million has come through this morning for this very exciting project. As the Minister knows from discussions I have had with him, it is a project I have worked with from the outset. I have been very glad to support Cavan County Council, the county board of the GAA and the Royal School in their very ambitious plan for a major regional sports campus. Thankfully, today, we have €34 million of public money in place - €19 million from the sports capital programme and €15 million through the Special EU Programmes Body. Those types of investments are critical in rural areas. The Minister’s help in advancing that application, along with that of Gina McIntyre, is much appreciated.
CLÁR has been an exemplary programme. It is focused, and we want to keep that focus. We have a programme for Government commitment to look at the expansion of CLÁR areas, and we are finalising that at the moment. Maynooth University has prepared a report for us, which we are looking at.
I join with the Deputy in welcoming this morning's announcement for Cavan, as will the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, who has responsibility for PEACEPLUS. It is a fantastic project. It is linked to the town and is an enormous game-changer for that town. I thank the Deputy for his work and advocacy on it. I know all three organisations, along with the Special EU Programmes Body, will ensure it is delivered and makes an impact. I look forward to visiting it in the near future, perhaps for a game.
CLÁR is focused on providing those services. In a previous iteration, CLÁR also used to provide funding towards group water schemes, where local contributions were hard to match. That is certainly something I would like to look at getting back to. It also invested in putting in power infrastructure for small businesses when, back in the day, three-phase electricity was a big issue. Where there are infrastructure deficits, we will try to provide support.
Question No. 83 taken with Written Answers.
Community Development Projects
84. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if he will outline the future funding plans for the community recognition fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55894/25]
The community recognition fund has been used by Louth County Council and many others for very worthwhile projects, including in relation to the return of old council land to parkland. I know a number of projects did not get through the gap, and I would like to think they will have an opportunity in the future.
The community recognition fund was introduced to recognise the contribution being made by communities all over the country in welcoming new arrivals into our cities, towns and villages. It was originally introduced as a €50 million fund in 2023 to develop community infrastructure in areas that were hosting beneficiaries of temporary protection and-or international protection applicants. This fund differs from other schemes operated by my Department in that each local authority was provided with a set funding allocation based on the number of new arrivals located in its area.
Some 900 projects were approved funding of €50 million in 2023. Following that, over 800 projects are now complete and fully drawn down, with approximately 100 still to be completed. The funding was subsequently doubled in 2024, with a further €50 million allocated to the local authorities. Under the 2024 round of funding, 569 projects were approved, bringing the total number of projects that have been awarded under the fund to over 1,450 in just over two years.
My current emphasis under the CRF is to ensure that all these projects are delivered in the coming months, so we can ensure communities get the benefit of the facilities. We have changed the emphasis within the Department to prioritise other schemes. For example, the budget for the community centre investment fund will increase by €3 million to €20 million in 2026. I am focused on growing this suite of schemes that support community infrastructure and amenities across the country.
For any of the groups to which the Deputy referred, there are other supports available to them. I had the chance to meet with the Deputy in the summer, when we saw some of the projects in action. I commend the officials of Louth County Council, not just in relation to the CRF, but across all of the schemes they are implementing efficiently and ambitiously in the county.
The emphasis has to be on the delivery of projects because there is not much point in having very good applications but not seeing the outworkings. The Minister visited a number of the play parks and pieces of work that have been done, which were well enough steered by Louth County Council. It is great to see that level of improvement. We are talking about parks that have been incredibly well done. The community recognition fund was a very good vehicle, and it filled a gap that was necessary to fill from the point of view of the enhancement of community facilities. However, we need to ensure there will be funding streams, for example, with regard to the community gardens at Muirhevnamore and other projects. They need to have the facility to apply and they need to have a good chance of getting the necessary funding. These are very good projects that are operated by people who are putting in a huge level of volunteerism and engaging with the local authority and others on delivery.
The budget for the CRF for 2026 is €10 million. We want the local authorities to draw down and complete projects, and that is going to be the focus for 2026. We also have other projects, such as community centre investment. As we have just discussed with Deputy Brendan Smith, there is also the CLÁR programme. The Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, worked hard to secure funding for SICAP, particularly the positions in SICAP that are working with new communities across the country to put boots on the ground and identify the kind of facilities that are needed and can be funded. I am sure the Deputy will agree that these facilities need to have a long-lasting impact or legacy impact. My preference for any kind of investment is that it is permanent, infrastructure-based and makes a difference to the facilities available in a community. That will be the emphasis of our funding going forward. Some of the initiatives funded under the CRF may not have a permanent legacy or permanent use, but the emphasis going forward is on community infrastructure to support community activity.
I would agree. The preference has to be to put in place infrastructure that can be used in the future. I think we would all agree on that. At the same time, there may have been some projects that were beneficial from a community point of view that had made applications, and I would make an argument about their long-term continuity. I know the St. Patrick’s Day parade had looked for what was probably a small enough offering, with the idea of getting materials that would have been used over multiple years. Again, we are talking about something that had huge engagement and support from all the other stakeholders within the community sector and all the agencies.
The project I spoke about specifically was the community gardens in Muirhevnamore. This needs to be looked at. I ask the Minister to provide details in this regard. I agree that this is about delivery of what has already been applied for but it is also about ensuring that communities have the facilities. The community recognition fund filled a necessary hole. There was a need for it. We need to make sure that these community facilities will still have the option in the future. If the Minister could come back with detailed written information, I would be grateful.
I can assure the Deputy that there is a range of supports within the Department to fund community infrastructure, in particular, physical infrastructure, such as centres and hubs. Through SICAP, under the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, community supports are also available. We will continue to make those available as they are very important.
Regarding the project referenced by the Deputy, the local enhancement programme might be the avenue to fund ongoing costs, including less heavy infrastructural costs. My Department funds the programme in partnership with the local authorities, including Louth County Council. There will be avenues within the Department throughout 2026, due to our increased budget, for communities to get improved infrastructure and to improve physical infrastructure in more rural areas, as we have just discussed. In relation to the towns, next year we will be looking at a new style of RAPID focused on direct urban investment in towns.
There will be an emphasis on the kinds of projects I have spoken about with the Deputy.
Irish Language
85. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the steps his Department is taking to promote the Irish language in the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51547/25]
Scríobh Charles Dickens an abairt "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times". Is féidir an méid céanna a rá mar gheall ar an nGaeilge. Tá go leor fuinnimh sa Ghaeilge ag an mbomaite, go háirithe ar na meáin shóisialta. Tá sé feicthe ag daoine gach lá. Tá go leor suim ag daoine óga inti. Mar gheall ar an Oireachtas, tá go leor fuinnimh ann an bhliain seo freisin ach tá go leor de na rudaí tábhachtacha - an líon daoine atá ag labhairt na Gaeilge sa Ghaeltacht, an líon páistí atá ag déanamh Gaeilge le haghaidh na hardteistiméireachta agus an méid seirbhísí atá le fáil sa Ghaeltacht - ag titim. Tá fadhbanna ollmhóra ann. Cad atá an Rialtas ag déanamh chun é sin a athrú?
Aontaím go bhfuil fuinneamh iontach i gcúrsaí Gaeltachta agus Gaeilge ag an bpointe seo. Tá sé sin iontach le feiceáil. Táimid díreach tar éis an méadú is mó le blianta a thabhairt don bhuiséad don Ghaeltacht agus do chúrsaí Gaeilge le haghaidh an chéad bhliain eile, 2026. Bhí comhrá agus plé agam leis an Teachta Ó Snodaigh maidir le sonraí an mhéadaithe sin ag tús an tseisiúin cheisteanna seo. Táimid ag cur béime ar chúrsaí pleanála teanga agus ag obair leis an struchtúr atá ann. Tá airgead breise ag dul chuige sin le haghaidh na ndaoine atá ag obair air, na hoifigigh pleanála teanga. Tá airgead breise ag dul chuig an údarás le haghaidh cúrsaí caipitil.
Tá airgead breise ag dul go trí thogra thar a bheith tábhachtach do mhuintir na Gaeltachta agus don Ghaeltacht. Ina measc sin, tá áras Gaeilge anseo i gcathair Bhaile Átha Cliath ag Uimh. 6 Sráid Fhearchair, foirgneamh a bhfuil stair iontach aige maidir le cúrsaí Gaeilge agus Gaeltachta agus atá i lár an fhuinnimh atá sa Ghaeilge at the moment. Beidh obair mhór déanta ar an bhfoirgneamh sin. Mar a bhí molta le haghaidh cúrsaí oideachais i gConamara, beidh áras nua le haghaidh daoine óga i gConamara. Táimid ag dul le tender le haghaidh an togra sin ag Coláiste Lurgan. Tá Cé Inis Oírr thar a bheith tábhachtach. Is é sin an togra is mó i stair an Roinn nua seo. Cosnóidh sé beagán níos mó ná €30 milliún. Tá sé sin tábhachtach freisin.
Tá spriocanna agus fuinneamh ann agus tá muidne i Roinn na Gaeltachta ag obair i dtreo na spriocanna sin. Táimid ag obair leis an Roinn oideachais freisin chun go mbeidh plean láidir againn ó thaobh oideachas sa Ghaeilge lasmuigh den Ghaeltacht. Tá an-suim agam sa chóras réamhscoile le haghaidh páistí atá ag dul go pre-school. Táimid ag obair ar chlár le haghaidh na bpáistí sin chun go mbeidh siad in ann tús a chur lena dturas oideachais sa Ghaeilge ag an aois óg sin.
I slí amháin, tá an ceart ag an Aire. Tá dea-scéalta ann anseo agus ansiúd ach, nuair a fheiceann tú an pictiúr iomlán, tá fadhbanna móra ann. Tá an tAire ag caint faoi airgead. Ba mhaith liom maoiniú an Arts Council a chur i gcomparáid leis an airgead a théann go dtí an Ghaeilge. Thar na blianta, mhéadaigh an t-airgead a théann go dtí an Arts Council go mór ach níor choiméadadh an Ghaeilge ar an gcéim chéanna leis. Má chuireann tú Údarás na Gaeltachta i gcomparáid le Fiontar Éireann ná an IDA, feicfidh tú go bhfaigheann siadsan go leor airgid cé nach bhfaigheann an t-údarás ach giota beag airgid. Maidir le cúrsaí oideachais, tá sé dochreidte go bhfuil an líon páistí atá ag freastal ar Ghaelscoileanna ag titim. Tá 25% de thuismitheoirí ag iarraidh a gcuid páistí a sheoladh go dtí Gaelscoil ach níl ach 5% ag freastal orthu. Tá an Stát ag cur brú ar thuismitheoirí agus páistí dul isteach i scoileanna lán-Bhéarla. Tá an t-éileamh ann ach níl an Rialtas ag cur an tsoláthair ar fáil. Tá sé sin dochreidte. Tá 25% de thuismitheoirí ag iarraidh Gaelscolaíocht le haghaidh a gcuid páistí ach tá an Stát ag cur áiteanna scoile ar fáil do 5%. Nach bhfuil an locht ar an Rialtas mar gheall ar an bhfadhb sin?
Tá athrú ag tarlú ar na figiúirí sin. Sa bhuiséad do 2026, tá ardú 22% ar mhaoiniú do chúrsaí Gaeilge agus Gaeltachta. Is féidir é sin a chur i gcomparáid le hardú 7% nó 8% ar chaiteachas Stáit go ginearálta. Is ceann de na harduithe is mó le haghaidh aon rud sa Rialtas in 2026 é sin. Tá an Roinn oideachais díreach chun plean nua le haghaidh oideachais taobh istigh agus taobh amuigh den Ghaeltacht a fhoilsiú. Tá an Roinn ag díriú isteach ar an bplean sin. Tá m'oifigigh i Roinn na Gaeltachta ag obair le hoifigigh sa Roinn oideachais chun díriú isteach ar na dúshláin a leag an Teachta amach. Tá dúshláin ann ó thaobh scoileanna nua a thógáil mar gheall ar chostais, ach tá airgead breise tugtha don Roinn oideachais chun scoileanna nua a thógáil sa phlean forbartha náisiúnta. Mar a dúirt mé, táimid ag tabhairt airgid do Thuismitheoirí na Gaeltachta chun plean do pháistí beaga réamhscoile a ullmhú chun go mbeidh siad in ann tús a chur le cúrsaí oideachais sa pre-school. Tá sé sin an-tábhachtach freisin.
Tá an chuid is mó de na naíonraí sa Ghaeltacht ag feidhmiú trí Bhéarla ag an mbomaite. Tá sé sin dochreidte. Nuair a théann páistí go dtí an chéad chéim, bíonn brú orthu an Béarla a labhairt. Mar gheall ar an rud is tábhachtaí, tá titim ar an líon daoine atá ag labhairt na Gaeilge taobh amuigh den chóras oideachais bliain i ndiaidh bliana. Is teip ollmhór ó thaobh an Rialtais é sin. Tá clanna atá ag iarraidh a chuid páistí a thógáil sa Ghaeltacht ag iarraidh teach a bheith acu sa Ghaeltacht ach níl siad ann. Tá an feachtas BÁNÚ atá ag gearán, mar is ceart, nach bhfuil tithe le fáil sa Ghaeltacht. Luaigh mé an plean a bhí agam le Ráth Chairn cheana. Tá go leor daoine san Uaimh, i nDroichead Átha agus i mBaile Átha Cliath ag iarraidh a chuid páistí a thógáil i nGaeilge. Dá mbeadh eastát tithíochta istigh i Ráth Chairn, bheadh siad sásta bogadh ann. Ciallódh sé sin go mbeadh níos mó tithe saor le fáil sna bailte eile. Ba cheart go mbeadh an Rialtas ag déanamh iarrachta an eastát tithíochta sin a thógáil. Is í an fhadhb atá ann ná go bhfuil éileamh amuigh sa phobal mar gheall ar an nGaeltacht ach tá baic fós ann agus níl an Rialtas ag déileáil leo mar is cuí.
Before the Minister responds, I am sure he will want to welcome all the students in the Public Gallery. It is good to have them all here and listening to our debate as Gaeilge. They are all very welcome.
Cuirim fáilte roimh na daltaí sin. Tá súil agam go mbeidh lá iontach acu. I hope they have a great day and enjoy it. Sular tháinig an Teachta Tóibín isteach, bhí plé agam leis an Teachta Conor McGuinness maidir le cúrsaí pleanála agus tithíochta sa Ghaeltacht. Táimid ag déileáil leis sin in éineacht leis an Roinn tithíochta. Maidir le cúrsaí oideachais, táimid ag tabhairt airgid do Ghael Linn i leith na scéime Gaelbhratach le haghaidh scoileanna atá ag úsáid na Gaeilge agus ag tabhairt cumhachta do na daltaí sa mheánscoil agus sa bhunscoil an Ghaeilge a úsáid sa bhaile. Tá an scéim teanga tí á soláthar ar Glór na nGael; tá Fondúireacht Sheosaimh Mhic Dhonncha á reáchtáil ag Cumann Lúthchleas Gael; agus tá an gradam Gnó le Gaeilge ar fáil do ghnólachtaí, gnólachtaí beaga san áireamh, a úsáideann an Ghaeilge lena gcustaiméirí. Ó thaobh cúrsaí pleanála, tá airgead breise tugtha do na hoifigigh pleanála teanga áitiúla le haghaidh cúrsaí gnó chun go mbeidh daoine in ann an Ghaeilge a úsáid ina saol gach lá agus spreagtha chun é sin a dhéanamh i siopaí agus gnólachtaí beaga.
Ní fheicim aon systemic change mar gheall ar na rudaí sin.
Vacant Properties
86. Deputy Noel McCarthy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the supports made available by his Department to address rural vacancy and dereliction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55943/25]
I thank the Deputy for his question and his ongoing interest in this area. We launched the town centre first policy in 2022. It a major cross-Government policy to tackle vacancy and combat dereliction, and in doing so to breathe new life into town centres. Town centre first complements other policies, including Our Rural Future and Housing for All as well as the national planning framework, which also aims to tackle vacancy and dereliction.
Town centre first also seeks to achieve balanced regional development and support local communities. We have aligned major funding streams with town centre first, including the rural regeneration and development fund, the town and village renewal scheme, the urban regeneration and development fund and the THRIVE scheme. The rural regeneration and development scheme is a major capital investment programme supporting large-scale, ambitious projects delivering sustainable economic and social development in rural areas. The town and village renewal scheme, introduced by my Department in 2016, is designed to rejuvenate rural towns and villages throughout Ireland. A range of other support funding has also been put in place by Government. Town centre first was developed in conjunction with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Bringing Back Homes details over 20 incentives, funded measures and grants that seek to address vacancy and dereliction. Supports include the vacant property refurbishment grant under the croí cónaithe initiative, the repair and leasing scheme, the buy and renew scheme, and the living city initiative.
I am fully committed to the success of the town centre first policy and to working with our town teams across the country, with colleagues in the Oireachtas and with the local authorities. I would also encourage the local authorities to make greater use of the powers they have available to them to address dereliction in town and village centres and to address every building that can be addressed through existing powers. Any building that is taken out of dereliction rejuvenates a town and there needs to be a lot more proactivity on the part of local authorities in doing that.
I thank the Minister for his response. While I appreciate the great work of the Department in supporting rural communities and the great work that both the Minister and the Minister of State are doing, vacancy and dereliction in our towns and villages remains a real concern. I appreciate that the Department of housing is the main Department tasked with tackling this problem but it is important for Departments to continue to engage directly with each other on vacancy and dereliction in order to properly address it, to actively encourage footfall and to drive local economies. I acknowledge that the Department's rural regeneration and development fund plays a major role in this regard. It encourages the reuse of vacant, derelict and heritage buildings. Given its importance, is the Minister considering any expansion of the RRDF?
As the Deputy knows, last week we announced €20 million in rural regeneration and development funding for 30 projects across Ireland, including in his home town. I thank Deputy McCarthy for his work in lobbying for that. Fermoy will see the €772,000 development of a derelict site. This is something that the Deputy and the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, worked closely with me on. That is the kind of project we need. It will allow Avondhu to promote and get ready for a major application. That is what our RRDF announcement last week was about. It will allow the preparatory work to be done for the submission of a major funding application, some in two years and others before then. The RRDF is beginning to have a major impact right around the country.
I mentioned earlier that I was in Athy on Friday visiting the Shackleton Experience which involved the refurbishment of a 300 year old historic building in the middle of the town. It is now a state-of-the-art, 21st century visitor experience that is driving development in Athy. A food hub is also being developed in Athy through the RRDF to support the promotion of local enterprise. Athy is a really good example of what is possible and I would encourage any community around the country to visit Athy to see the RRDF in action.
I thank the Minister for the rural regeneration and development funding for Fermoy. It was very welcome and I thank both the Minister and the Minister of State for their support on that. While several factors contribute to rural vacancy and dereliction, one important issue is the lack of community facilities which may discourage people from moving to a particular area. In this context, what work is the Department doing to encourage the establishment of rural community halls or facilities in existing vacant or derelict buildings?
My Department has funded 26 town centre first plans which are focused on existing facilities and buildings within town centres. They are concerned with what we call the public realm and aim to enhance the town centre experience. I make the point regularly, and did so again when I spoke at a national conference in Leitrim on Monday, that we have to come up with new reasons for people to visit towns. As people move away from the traditional retail space and go online, we need to re-equip and refurbish our towns to make them even more attractive for leisure and recreation, as well as for commercial and retail purposes. If we improve leisure and recreation opportunities, that will support existing retail businesses.
In Cork under town centre first we have invested over €259,000 and right across the country there are 70 towns with town centre teams that are working with their local authorities to identify spaces such as those Deputy McCarthy has just identified. Then, through community centre investments, CLÁR or other programmes, my Department can fund specific adaptations of existing buildings for community spaces.
Departmental Funding
87. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if he will consider increasing the LEADER allocation for County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54825/25]
Will the Minister consider increasing the LEADER allocation for County Galway? As he might be aware, there are concerns about the allocation for east Galway in particular, relative to other areas. Galway Rural Development is the local development company. I ask the Minister to outline whether this is something he is considering.
As the Deputy knows, my Department is responsible for the existing LEADER programme which is part of Ireland’s CAP strategic plan covering 2023 to 2027. It is co-funded by the EU and the Exchequer. The LEADER programme is administered by local action groups on behalf of my Department and has been at the heart of rural development in Ireland for over 30 years. It plays a vital role in supporting local projects to bring renewed life, jobs and services to our rural communities, including those in County Galway.
As Deputy O'Hara is aware, €180 million of funding has been committed to the 2023 to 2027 LEADER programme. LEADER funding is allocated to local action groups at the beginning of each LEADER programme to provide them with greater flexibility in selecting and approving projects which will have a meaningful impact. Since 2021, County Galway received a LEADER allocation of €12.6 million, comprising €3.6 million for the 2021 and 2022 transition period and €9 million for the current programming period of 2023 to 2027. Projects continue to be approved under Galway's €9 million allocation, with projects to the value of €1.66 million being approved to date. There are no plans to increase the allocation under the current programme but I look forward to seeing the outcomes of the current programme emerge in the coming months and years. I anticipate that we will see a big increase in expenditure over 2026 but especially in 2027 and 2028. We are also working hard with the Minister for agriculture, Deputy Heydon, and the Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, to ensure that there will be LEADER funding in the next multi-annual financial framework, MFF, and that we will have access to co-funding from the EU. I join Deputy O'Hara in paying tribute to Galway Rural Development which is a fantastic exemplar of a local development company, not just in LEADER but in all of the work it does. I had the pleasure of meeting members of the organisation on a number of occasions in relation to Tús, RSS and the CE programme and of joining them in Mountbellew when they hosted an international event, Shearfest, in June.
I want to outline the current situation with regard to LEADER funding. East Galway is receiving €37 per person which compares very unfavourably with all of our neighbours. Roscommon receives €97 per person, Offaly gets €76 per person while in Mayo, the figure is €64. This really restricts what our local development company can do because it has such a limited amount of funding. It means that our communities miss out on investment and new facilities. We all know of the fantastic impact that LEADER has had in all of our communities and how they have benefitted from it. We are not asking for special treatment here but there certainly should be equal treatment for east Galway. We are not a wealthy part of the State by any means and I ask the Minister to revisit this to ensure a more equitable split in the allocation, based on the appropriate socioeconomic data, in future rounds of LEADER and in any interim Exchequer-funded programme.
Under the current LEADER programme, Galway has an allocation of €9 million. Approximately €5.5 million of that is allocated to Galway East for both projects and administration costs. A number of factors are considered when deciding on the funding allocations. These include providing a minimum allocation of €3 million to each sub-regional area. The remaining funding is distributed based on population density and the level of deprivation in the area. The minimum allocation of €3 million at sub-regional level accounted for €84 million of the overall allocation. Of the remaining €96 million, €48 million is distributed based on population density of the county compared to the national average.
The remaining €48 million is distributed based on the deprivation index. There is quite a formula for it to try to ensure targeted investment in communities. It is also cofunded through the European Union, so we are very focused on ensuring that cofunding will continue beyond the current MFF. We are very focused on LEADER and want to see it deliver. I want all companies to deliver in the way that GRD is doing. I commend the work that it is doing. There are also other sources of funding so we were delighted to be able to fund the provision of a new building in Gort last year under RRDF. There are other sources funding within the Department for initiatives in Galway East.
I understand it is a complicated formula but there is clearly a discrepancy between our area and other parts of the State. Will the Minister take a look at it and engage with the local development company on it? We feel very hard done by in Galway. We are not just missing out on the LEADER allocation. Our local authority is very underfunded and is not receiving the same funding per capita as other counties. The Government as a whole needs to take a look at this. I also want to ask about the plan for LEADER in the longer term. The Minister's predecessor, Heather Humphreys, slashed the budget for this programme, something that will be remembered by a lot of people next week when they go to the polls.
I ask the Deputy not to make remarks about the election.
There are serious concerns about CAP. It seems the onus is now going to fall on the Government to ensure there is a sufficient budget to maintain the work that local development companies do. Will the Minister outline the Government’s plan for the future of the programme and give assurances that the budget will be protected and increased?
The former Minister, Healther Humphreys, did not slash any budget. Within the 2023 to 2027 programme, 38 projects have been funded across all the LAGs in Galway, the vast majority of which - 24 - are actually in Galway East. I have spoken about the work that is under way with the Minister, Deputy Heydon, as Minister for agriculture, but also with the Minister of State, Deputy Thomas Byrne, and I have met with both Ministers to ensure LEADER will be part of the MFF going forward. It will fall to us during our Presidency to move on a lot of these but I have ensured from our Department that LEADER will be a core ask in the context of a new EU budget. That cofunding is absolutely vital. Equally, however, we have to look at the overall allocation to my Department in terms of the Government's commitment to rural development and to schemes that are making a difference right across rural communities on a daily basis, which are making a difference capital-wise. We do not get as much attention for these schemes but we also have to look at the current expenditure that is under way, led by the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, to companies such as Galway Rural Development in terms of community support workers, community development workers and people who are enhancing and strengthening communities in their day-to-day activities.
Question No. 88 taken with Written Answers.
Departmental Schemes
89. Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if he will provide an update on his Department’s plans to streamline and accelerate the approval process for local improvement scheme and outdoor recreation infrastructure scheme applications, particularly in areas such as Galway east, where shovel-ready projects with local match funding are awaiting sanction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55758/25]
I welcome both Ministers to the House for this worthwhile debate that we are having. Will the Minister for Rural and Community Development and Gaeltacht provide an update on his Department's plans to streamline and accelerate the approval process for local improvement schemes and outdoor recreation infrastructure scheme applications, particularly in areas such as east Galway where some shovel-ready projects with local match funding are awaiting sanction? Will he make a statement on the matter?
I thank the Deputy for his question. As part of the ongoing process of co-ordinated scheme delivery across my Department, schemes such as the outdoor recreation infrastructure scheme, ORIS, involve a well-established process of issuing calls for applications, project evaluation and project selection. In general, my Department's schemes are administered on a competitive basis, which underpins the delivery of value for money and the selection of high quality projects. Applications for ORIS are administered, prioritised and submitted by each local authority and by local development companies to my Department for assessment. The process, while reviewed and refined ahead of each funding iteration, is well-embedded across the local authorities and local development companies.
ORIS provides funding for the development and enhancement of infrastructure such as walking trails, cycleways, water-based recreation sites and mountain trails. It is typically opened every 18 months across a number of different measures. I have already announced the successful projects under measure 1 and the project development measure of the 2024-25 scheme. The successful projects under measures 2 and 3 will be announced before the end of this year.
Since 2020, almost €5 million has been approved for 58 projects across Galway under ORIS. The local improvement scheme, LIS, is one of the key supports to rural communities in that it improves non-public rural roads and laneways that are not typically maintained by local authorities. While my Department provides funding for the scheme, it is fully administered by local authorities. Local authorities are responsible for the selection and the prioritisation of those roads, as well as the management of applications and waiting lists. Following my approval in August of additional allocations under the scheme, Galway County Council’s 2025 allocation is now €2.1 million, which is an increase of €843,000 on its original 2025 allocation, and the council has indicated to me that its full allocation will be utilised by year end. Significant levels of investment have been delivered under my Department's rural development investment programme in recent years and I am absolutely committed, along with the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, to ensuring that this funding continues to be utilised in an efficient and effective manner.
I thank the Minister. First, I am a great advocate, as I am sure many others are, for investment in the infrastructure developments he mentioned such as walkways, greenways and cycleways. We are living in an area where the population, thankfully, is increasing. I am also mindful that people are craving those kind of recreational opportunities, particularly people who want to seek outdoor recreational exposure for childhood obesity, mindfulness or people who are struggling with mental health issues. I am sure anything the Minister can do in promoting and supporting that is a really welcome departure.
Right across every county the LIS has proved to be a very essential component or element. There are people who are building their first home in little laneways who apply for those scheme and it is a really great saviour when they can have that.
I could not agree with the Deputy more on outdoor recreation. The focus of the ORIS scheme is to support outdoor recreation infrastructure. It funds projects such as walkways, cycleways, blueways, water and cycle trails, mountain-access routes and open water amenities of bogs, rivers, lakes and beaches, including tidal pools. Projects are generally located in the countryside under the scheme. However, we will examine projects that might link a town or a village to an existing outdoor recreational facility in the countryside. We try to align some of the principles of ORIS with the national outdoor recreational strategy, Embracing Ireland’s Outdoors, to also maintain and improve existing trails. While we build new ones, existing trails are equally as important.
LIS is extremely important and is a major focus for me. I am delighted to be able to tell the Deputy that in 2024 Galway County Council was one of the top six performing local authorities. It had minimal underspend. It is crazy to be able to say that there were local authorities that did not spend their LIS allocation and returned money. I cannot understand that and I am sure, as I look around the Chamber here, none of us can understand that as Deputies who know communities who need that LIS expenditure. That will not happen again.
I can certainly attest to the fact that any moneys that Galway County Council get will be spent very wisely and very prudently. It has quite a comprehensive list of infrastructure that it wishes to develop under these schemes. One of the things I ask about passionately is that the Department continues to invest in these schemes, particularly in outdoor recreation. It is a game-changer for many communities. Certainly, in east Galway, in my neck of the woods, I would welcome any investment in that regard.
We funded 59 projects in Galway since 2020 under ORIS with an investment of €4.944 million. There are some really good ones, including the Creggs mountain walk and the Glinsk Heritage Park, which are two really good examples.
In relation to the LIS, since 2020 we have funded 195 roads in Galway, an investment of €10.04 million. That is money well spent.
As regards ORIS, one of the few good things to come out of Covid was that people embraced the outdoors and, more importantly, their local outdoors. We see it in the increase in people using facilities. We see it particularly in our partnership with Coillte around recreational spaces and forests and where we make investments. There has been an extraordinary increase in people using existing forests where trails have been opened, access has been opened and investments have been made in infrastructure and facilities to draw people to forests. I was with the Leas-Cheann Comhairle in Kilkenny earlier in the summer opening up new facilities there. It is extraordinary to see how small investments can totally open up an area and allow people to make full use of their local infrastructure facilities.
I have a question about the LIS. The Minister stated that some counties are not spending their allocation. I come from the county of Longford, where we have huge waiting lists. We spend our entire allocation. I ask that any moneys not spent by a local authority be ring-fenced and sent back to those local authorities that are spending what has been allocated and have long waiting lists.
Irish Language
90. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the funding available for primary school children to attend the Gaeltacht; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55893/25]
Tá muid ag caint faoi chúrsaí Gaeltachta. Bhí fadhb ann roimhe seo idir an Roinn oideachais agus Roinn na Gaeltachta. Bhí imní ar na príomhoidí, na múinteoirí agus na páistí nach mbeadh siad in ann freastal ar chúrsaí sna Gaeltachtaí. Déantar é seo le blianta anuas i gColáiste Bhríde i Rann na Feirste. Téann páistí ó scoileanna i nDún Dealgan ann. Bhí fadhb ann. Is dócha nach bhfuil an fhadhb ann fós, ach táim ag iarraidh é sin a fháil amach agus a chinntiú go bhfuil an t-airgead ansin chun é seo a dhéanamh.
Le bheith soiléir, tá mé chun an cheist a fhreagairt as Béarla-----
Níl fadhb agam leis sin.
-----ionas nach mbeidh botún san eolas.
My Department provides a subsidy under scéim na bhfoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge which is payable to qualifying Gaeltacht households providing accommodation for those attending an Irish course in any of the 40 or so Irish-language colleges that operate under the scheme. The scheme was established over 50 years ago in order to foster language acquisition and enrichment opportunities in the Gaeltacht outside of the education system for learners of the language.
The sector caters to a broad demographic of learners from the age of ten years upwards and operates from January to December annually. The most widely identifiable learners, those we all know of, are those who attend summer college courses from June to August, which cater for young people aged ten - or from third to fifth class - to those aged 19 who are undertaking their leaving cert. The Department also recognises courses which are aimed at third level students, including individuals who are undertaking teacher training, and other adult learners, including public sector workers.
In keeping with the spirit of the current programme for Government, which includes a commitment to "Maintain and where possible enhance support for Mná Tí at Gaeltacht summer colleges", I announced an increase to the daily subsidy rate payable to recognised households in July of this year, which was backdated to 31 May. This subsidy is currently worth €14.50 per student per day for recognised households, which is equivalent to €304.50 per student for a three-week course, and €10.50 for recognised hostels or residential colleges. The increase follows the nearly 30% increase in the subsidy rate payable to households and a 90% increase in that paid to residential colleges and hostels since 2022. The subsidy benefits over 27,000 learners per year who stay in any of the 520 Gaeltacht households approved under the scheme. It represents a State investment of almost €6 million annually in the Irish summer colleges sector.
I appreciate the Minister's answer. I heard about this particular issue from a number of schools throughout Dundalk and then from those who organise some of the courses. My father always had a connection with Coláiste Bhríde in Rann na Feirste, which has had a huge Dundalk connection since an tAthair Ó Muirí set it up many years ago. There was a fear that there had been a misunderstanding between the Department of the Gaeltacht and the Department of education. I was sending correspondence and being bounced from one Department to another. Luckily, the walls did not fall in and the courses went ahead, but I want to make sure we do not have that problem again. I think there was a technicality in relation to a review process, which is absolutely necessary. We all need due diligence and so on done. However, it was a case of something that probably had not been done, and then there was a question mark as to why it had not been. Unfortunately, it was going to impact students and those running the courses but, obviously, the students are the people I was most worried about.
Absolutely. I want students to learn Irish and to enjoy the experience of attending a summer college. Tá scéim na bhfoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge bunaithe ar dhaltaí ag dul go dtí an Ghaeltacht chun taithí foghlama agus taithí chónaithe sa Ghaeltacht a fháil. Tá sé tábhachtach go bhfuil an Roinn oideachais páirteach sa phróiseas seo. The Department of education plays a very strong role in this. Generally, scéim na bhfoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge involves courses that are outside the school year. I think the Deputy may be talking about school courses that are within the school year laid down by the Department. The Department of education, in the context of the school year, would provide any recommendations to Roinn na Gaeltachta in terms of the courses that it deems are suitable to be recognised. Therefore, unless a course is recognised by an Roinn oideachais, mura dtugann an Roinn approval go dtí an cúrsa, nílimid in ann airgead a chur ar fáil faoi scéim na bhfoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge. Tá sé tábhachtach go dtosófar leis an Roinn oideachais agus ansin is féidir leis an Teachta teacht ar ais chugam.
Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as sin. Tharla na cúrsaí seo. Sin an rud is tábhachtaí. Sílim go bhfuil siad ag caint lena chéile agus leis an dá Roinn faoin am seo. Caithfimid a bheith cinnte nach mbeidh an fhadhb ann ag deireadh na bliana nó a leithéid. As regards this problem that arose, I get it in relation to governance and so on. I do not think the courses had a particular issue with those running them around whatever level of governance. It was just that somebody suddenly asked if any of those inspections had happened. It became an over-and-back and then nobody wanted to take responsibility. As I said, it was sorted. I will send the Minister more detail in relation to it. It is just a check-up that basically everything is happening and that we do not end up at the end of the year with imní ar pháistí, ar na múinteoirí agus ar gach aon duine eile maidir leis.
Iarraim ar an Teachta na sonraí a chur chugam. Tá sé tábhachtach go mbaineann gach aon rud laistigh den scoilbhliain leis an Roinn oideachais. Nuair atá sé taobh amuigh den scoilbhliain, tá seans againn é a phlé. When it is inside the existing school year, the Department of education, I think we all agree, must have approval over that. We will work with everyone. If the Deputy wants to send me on the details, I ask him to do so based on that principle-----
Fadhb ar bith.
-----that anything within the school year is a matter for the Department of education initially, and if it approves, then we will examine it. Tá scéim na bhfoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge thar a bheith tábhachtach. Tá méadú mór déanta agam agus scéim nua agam an tseachtain seo le cinntiú go mbeidh daoine a bhí sa scéim roimh 2019 in ann leapacha agus mattresses nua a fháil ionas go mbeidh siad ullmhaithe don chéad bhliain eile agus daltaí eile le teacht go dtí a dtithe. Gabhaim buíochas leis na clanna, na mná tí agus fir tí atá chomh tábhachtach do scéim na bhfoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge agus a n-osclaíonn a dtithe i ngach cuid den Ghaeltacht gach bliain.
Departmental Programmes
91. Deputy Micheál Carrigy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht when the announcement of allocation of funding under the LEADER programme will be; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55609/25]
My question is about the allocation of funding for the new LEADER programme from 2027 onwards. I have seen the success of the programme since it started in my county of Longford. We were successful in getting significant funding, all of which was drawn down for projects in the county. It has had a huge benefit and has improved communities throughout the county.
I have been involved in a number of the projects in my own local area, including community centre funding and playgrounds that have been developed with funding through the LEADER programme. Great work has been done by the staff in Longford Community Resources. Could we get commitments on what Government funding has been put forward to make sure we get a strong allocation in the next LEADER programme?
As the Deputy knows, the LEADER programme is a multi-annual funding programme. It is cofinanced by the European Commission under the Common Agricultural Policy, CAP. The current LEADER programme is operational across the country as we speak, with total funding of €180 million allocated across local action groups to cover the period 2023 to 2027.
When considering LEADER allocations for the post-2027 period, as the Deputy has discussed, the development of the post-2027 CAP and the new regional and national partnership plans is a matter of significant importance to my Department. Ireland has advocated and will continue to advocate for a well-funded and ringfenced EU funding programme that supports farm resilience, environmental ambition and rural development measures such as the LEADER programme.
Since its inception in 1991, the programme has empowered bottom-up, community-led rural development in rural communities across Ireland. It has supported thousands of local projects, revitalised rural communities and supported thousands of jobs and important services across Ireland. It is hugely important and as Minister, I am committed to ensuring that the LEADER programme remains a core element of any new CAP framework.
To facilitate the current negotiation process for the post-2027 period, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has established a CAP consultative committee, which includes representation from my Department. As part of this committee, my Department continues to advocate for the LEADER programme to remain a core intervention of the new CAP post 2027. I continue to work with Government colleagues, the Minister, Deputy Heydon, and the Minister of State, Deputy Thomas Byrne, to ensure the LEADER programme is well funded into the future and remains a key part of the next MFF. I acknowledge the support of the Minister, Deputy Heydon, and the Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, to date with regard to our work. I will be travelling to the European Parliament in November to continue to lobby and work with our colleagues in the European Parliament on the importance of LEADER in the next MFF.
I thank the Minister for that strong commitment. As he said, it has a massive impact in communities throughout the country, from playgrounds to tourism products - you name it. It has left its impact and it is important that we, the local action groups, LAGs, and the local LEADER companies working on the ground know that the Government is going to put in the matched funding to make sure they are able to staff themselves and are ready to roll out to the new programme when it comes.
Absolutely. Since 1991, LEADER companies around the country have made a huge difference. LEADER projects have made a massive difference. It was the former Tánaiste and former Commissioner, Ray McSharry, and the former Minister of State and MEP Mark Killilea. Ireland's fingerprints are very much associated with LEADER and the success of LEADER to date. I will be working to ensure our LEADER funding going forward. There is going to be a very different EU funding environment post 2027 but we will have to work to protect LEADER.
Since LEADER came on board, we have made the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht. Outside of LEADER, we are continuing to invest substantial funding in rural projects and initiatives, funding that was not in place in the early days of LEADER. The Deputy can be absolutely assured that I am making a commitment that we will fight for a very comprehensive LEADER allocation going forward.
Question No. 92 taken with Written Answers.
EU Programmes
93. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the progress to date in the roll-out of the PEACEPLUS programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55959/25]
As the Minister knows, the PEACEPLUS programme is a successor programme to INTERREG and the various PEACE programmes. As we have discussed often in this House, they have been particularly important in bringing new facilities and amenities to and stimulating economic development in areas like my own along the Border, which suffered so much due to the Troubles over a protracted period of time. The PEACE programme goes back to the mid-1990s and I am glad that the Irish and British Governments, the European Union and the Northern Ireland Executive put together a major funding programme of €1.14 billion. I know the projects that have been approved for funding are very good projects that will add considerably to communities both near and far.
I thank Deputy Smith for the question and for his leadership and advocacy. The Deputy is right. The projects, facilities and amenities in his area in particular are bringing huge, profound and important change. I thank the Deputy for being cochair of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly.
The PEACEPLUS programme, which runs until 2029, has a total value of €1.1 billion and funds projects across Northern Ireland and the Border counties of Ireland. PEACEPLUS is cofunded by the Irish Government, the European Commission, the UK Government and the Northern Ireland Executive. The project is managed by the Special EU Programmes Body.
Our Department, the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, is committed to providing 26% cofunding for eight of the 22 investment areas. This represents a total of €96 million in financing over the lifetime of the programme, with a net contribution, post recoupment of ERDF amounts, of €19.2 million. Grants are awarded by the Special EU Programmes Body following an agreed assessment process. As of 24 September, 108 projects with a total value of €947 million have been approved for funding, representing around 88% of the programme value.
PEACEPLUS provides funding across a diverse range of investment areas, including revitalisation of rural areas and community development. This funding will benefit people right across the programme area and there are multiple opportunities to benefit from the programme, which are available to all groups and organisations. All information is available online, as Members know.
I would also like to make a point about the change-maker funding element of PEACEPLUS, which will provide grants of between €10,000 and €100,000 to cross-Border or community projects. This funding programme is currently open. Information is available on the PEACEPLUS website under current funding opportunities.
Like the Minister, Deputy Calleary, I welcome the announcement regarding the Cavan regional sports project, which, as the Deputy said earlier, will provide a great facility to Cavan and the wider cross-Border region. Both the Minister, Deputy Calleary and I, look forward to travelling to Deputy Smith in Cavan. We might get to that match yet; you never know.
I thank the Minister. As I said here earlier, I appreciate the support of the Minister, Deputy Dara Calleary, in different meetings with me, and also the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, who has spoken about the importance of shared spaces and providing sport and recreation facilities. I appreciate the positive response of the Special EU Programmes Body to the Cavan regional sports campus application, with the €15 million approval this morning. It is great to work on a project and see a good conclusion to it.
I will make reference to the issue of the Cavan regional sports campus and give credit to Deputy Smith on that. This is about the reimagining of communities and investment in areas. It is a project that will bring, as the Deputy said, profound transformation to the area. It is a shared space. It represents a new type of modern Ireland and this facility, when it is developed, will be absolutely fantastic. What we are seeing here with PEACEPLUS is investment matched by human investment. It is all good for the people and the Border counties. I welcome our Department's involvement and both the Minister, Deputy Calleary, and I are very committed to the project. We look forward to working with all Members of the House.
Questions Nos. 94 and 95 taken with Written Answers.
Men's Sheds
96. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht his views on the merits of providing multi-annual funding for men’s and women’s sheds to allow them to plan longer term projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54869/25]
Tá ceist agam ná faoi na men's sheds agus an t-airgead atá curtha ar fáil dóibh. I ask about the value of multi-annual funding for men's sheds to give them certainty with regard to what they can do year on year, rather than depending on budget-to-budget and year-to-year decisions on funding. It would give them much greater certainty regarding what they can and cannot do and I would be grateful if the Minister could address that issue.
I thank the Deputy. The emergence of men’s sheds and women's sheds has been an enormously positive development for communities across Ireland. The Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and I are fully committed to supporting men's and women's sheds in the valuable work they do.
My Department provides funding to men's and women’s sheds under various supports, including the local enhancement programme, the social inclusion and community activation programme and LEADER. Men’s and women's sheds can apply individually for all of these schemes. In addition to these schemes, my Department has channelled funding through the Irish Men’s Sheds Association, IMSA, to distribute directly to men’s sheds. I was pleased to announce a financial package with the IMSA this year, which will enable it to distribute up to €1 million in support to men's sheds across the country. It should also be noted that my Department provides multi-annual funding to the IMSA through the scheme to support national organisations.
We continue to engage with the men's sheds regarding the distribution of that money. The Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and I are focused on ensuring that gets to the sheds. While I understand the desire for multi-annual funding, it would not be possible for my Department to provide multiannual funding to individual men's and women's sheds on an ongoing basis for a variety of reasons.
My Department works within the resources it has to provide the best supports possible at this time. Women's sheds do not currently operate under a national organisation. My Department is unable to provide funding similar to that provided to men's sheds. However, my Department and the Department of Health are working with the women's sheds of Ireland to support their efforts to form a national body, which would thereby allow the Minister of State and me to facilitate access for women's sheds to similar funding to the IMSA.
I acknowledge the work being done and the funding that has been made available. I agree with what the Minister said about the value of men's sheds and women's sheds. I do not really understand why we cannot put a multi-annual framework in place for funding for them. It would give them huge assistance in delivering and providing the services they do, which, we can all agree, are really positive for communities all over this country. I accept what the Minister has said about the lack of a national organisation or association for women's sheds. However, could the same level of money given to the Irish Men's Sheds Association not be provided over a series of years in the way we do in so many other areas from budget to budget, rather than asking them to depend from year to year on what they might be able to rely on? They can do so much more if they have certainty about what funding is available to them. Will the Minister outline the reasons that cannot be done?
Through the scheme to support national organisations, we do support the IMSA in its infrastructure and scaffolding so that it can distribute the funding. I have commitments and responsibilities in terms of the expenditure of money. I have to be sure the money is spent properly and appropriately and so, when we engage in multi-annual funding with any organisation, it is important for us to ensure it gets to the people we want it to get to. The Minister of State and I have spent a huge amount of our time engaging with this funding to ensure it gets to individual sheds across the country. I have confidence we will be able to do that. As recently as last week, there was a meeting with the facilitator around the women's sheds association to put in place a national framework that will allow us to fund directly. We have continued the funding to the men's sheds. We also have similar funding in place for agriculture shows across the country, which we fund through the Irish Shows Association. When we are making the investment, it is far more efficient to make it through a national representative organisation, which, in turn, can distribute it to local groups. The Irish Shows Association is the model I would recommend to any group.
I appreciate what the Minister has said. I understand the importance of making sure the money is spent correctly and appropriately. Nobody has any difficulty with that. I also appreciate what he said about the value of the associations and the value of an association that can act as an umbrella body. My suggestion is that where we provide multi-annual funding for various organisations in other areas of the budget, is it not open to us to make that multi-annual funding available to a particular association so that they might have some certainty for the programmes they offer, recognising the value of men's sheds to particular communities and what they do for people throughout this country, in every constituency represented in this House? Is there any path to provide that certainty, whether through multi-annual funding or through the association? Is there no pathway to give them certainty on what might be available to run the programmes they run?
Certainty is in what we have given to date. Funding has been provided over a number of years. There is certainty through the scheme to support national organisations and that gives the backup for the infrastructure. We work very closely with the IMSA. It has just finished a consultation process with local men's sheds as to what it will be looking for grant-wise. We want that process to be completed so that we will be in a position to fund them to get the money out to the local sheds. We are also putting money into women's sheds to ensure they set up a national organisation in a similar way. The example I gave, the Irish Shows Association, demonstrates it can be done efficiently on an annual basis. At this point I do not see any need for multi-annual funding. Certainty of funding is shown every year. The Irish Shows Association is a model that should be pursued.
Is féidir teacht ar Cheisteanna Scríofa ar www.oireachtas.ie.
Written Answers are published on the Oireachtas website.