The Ministry for Tourism, Culture, Arts and the Gaeltacht has given the green light for an additional €900,000 in funding to be allocated for Deis secondary school students to partake in coláistí samhraidh, or summer colleges in the Gaeltacht areas, during the coming summer season.
More than 800 grants will be made accessible under the Deis Gaeltachta scheme, which was piloted in 2019 with a humble offering of 50 scholarships. Since then, the number of grants has skyrocketed, achieving a total of 400 in recent years.
Each scholarship, accounting for up to 85% of the overall course cost, is now worth as much as €950 for a three-week syllabus – an increase from its former value of €850. The Galway and Roscommon Education and Training Board will be tasked with overseeing the scheme on the department’s behalf.
“The pivotal role of this scheme is to forge further opportunities for the younger generation who may not usually get the chance to partake in a summer programme,” stated Minister Catherine Martin. “Not only does this scheme advance the Irish language and the Gaeltacht, it also benefits the entire community by reinforcing and fostering inclusion.”
Every year, coláistí samhraidh draws in about 26,000 students, contributing an estimated €50 million to the Gaeltacht areas through direct and indirect investment annually. Gaeltacht families who communicate in Irish host students from all over the nation year over year, across 10 summer weeks, offering two- or three-week programmes aimed at boosting their command of Irish.
However, Julian de Spáinn, Secretary-general of Conradh na Gaeilge, while endorsing the decision, called for an escalation in the number of scholarships to 10,000.
Positive news is on the horizon, as reports suggest there will be a rise in the availability of scholarships for students who can’t afford to attend Gaeltacht summer courses. This concept reflects proposals from the Plean Fáis 2024-29, which was endorsed by over 130 Irish language and Gaeltacht bodies. Their suggestion is to have 10,000 scholarships available, ensuring children aged 11-17 who live below the poverty line get a chance to enrol in at least one Gaeltacht course during their schooling.
These courses usually cost between €800 and €1,200, covering meals, lodging, language lessons, leisure activities, and transportation costs. State Minister Thomas Byrne emphasises the importance of boosting scholarship value to close the gap between course fees and the scholarship grant, articulating the significance of this measure in promoting accessibility, equality, and inclusion.
This initiative aligns with the Irish Language Action Plan 2018-2022’s commitment to design a unique scholarship scheme to support post-primary students from Deis schools attending summer colleges. It is anticipated that applications for the Deis Gaeltachta scholarships will be open from the start of the upcoming month, handled by the Galway and Roscommon Education and Training Board.