€274,500 Grant Approved to Support Language-Based Housing in Baile an Fheirtéaraigh

Housing Capital Grant Scheme to provide support for community development organisations in the Gaeltacht

Údarás na Gaeltachta has approved a capital grant of €274,500 for Chomharchumann Forbartha Chorca Dhuibhne Teoranta (CFCD Ltd.) to support an innovative housing project in Baile an Fheirtéaraigh that will address the acute accommodation crisis affecting Irish language summer colleges in the area.

Under the new Housing Capital Grant Scheme, a 10% capital grant will be available up to a maximum of €300,000 for community development organisations in the Gaeltacht that receive statutory funding from Údarás na Gaeltachta, enabling them to develop small-scale, language-based housing projects.

In 2024, approximately 3,000 people attended Irish language courses, but there was a waiting list of 1,300 young people who could not be accommodated due to lack of accommodation. The situation is even worse for 2025, with a waiting list of 1,500 people already in place.

Through this grant, CFCD Ltd. will develop four three-storey semi-detached houses in Baile an Fheirtéaraigh. Each house will have five bedrooms, accommodating twelve Irish language learners in each. The houses will be rented to people who will host Irish language learners, and strict language conditions will apply to the project.

Tomás Ó Síocháin, Chief Executive of Údarás na Gaeltachta, said: “This project is one of the most important initiatives to support the future of summer colleges in the Gaeltacht. Not only will it add to investment in the local community, but it will also support the promotion of Irish and the nurturing of young people.”