Statement from the Board Meeting of Údarás na Gaeltachta - January 12th 2023

At today’s meeting of the Údarás na Gaeltachta Board, the final meeting of the current board, a total budget of €7.125m was approved to fund the implementation of the organisation’s Community Development, Language and Cultural Tourism Programme for 2023.

This programme includes the provision of annual funding for the organisation’s subsidiaries: Muintearas CTR and Ealaín (na Gaeltachta) CTR as well as Comhar Naíonraí na Gaeltachta CTR, administration grants for community development organisations and support for local community development committees. The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, the Gaeltacht, Sport, and Media provides an annual allocation for the Community and Language Development Programme, which has increased by €1m in 2023 and the remainder of the budget is made available through Údarás na Gaeltachta’s own funds.

 

Údarás na Gaeltachta Chief Executive, Tomás Ó Síocháin stated “I would like to take this opportunity to give due recognition to the work of this board and to the members of the Board who will shortly be finishing their term. I would like to express my particular thanks to the Chairperson, Anna Ní Ghallachair for her dedication and hard work during her term as Chair. Today’s announcement is a further indication of the crucial role of Údarás na Gaeltachta in the everyday life of the Gaeltacht. Community development, of which the nurturing of the Irish language is an integral part, is at the heart of our work.”

 

The Chairperson thanked all members of the Board with whom she had worked, as well as the four CEOs and all the staff of Údarás na Gaeltachta. She said that she considered it both a privilege and an honour to have been Chairperson of an organisation which played such an influential and important role in the life of the Gaeltacht community and in the perpetuation of the Irish language. She said that she was satisfied that Údarás na Gaeltachta was going from strength to strength, and she extended her good wishes to the new CEO, Tomás Ó Síocháin, and to the staff as they undertake the implementation of the current Strategy, a Strategy which is ambitious and which encompasses many aspects of life in the Gaeltacht at present and while preparing for the future.

 

 

Administration Grants for Community Development Organisations

A total provision of €3,835,750 was approved by the Board of Údarás na Gaeltachta in administration grants for community development organisations for 2023, an increase of €492,750.

Údarás na Gaeltachta provides administration funding to 33 community organisations, to assist them with the implementation of a community development programme focusing on the needs of the local community. The Gaeltacht community development organisations are an integral part of the Gaeltacht’s development infrastructure and play an important role in implementing the objectives of the Údarás na Gaeltachta 2021-2025 Strategy. They play a vital role in the implementation of language plans in their various areas as well as supporting the development of the gteic network, promoting tourism and cultural projects and investigating opportunities for renewable energy initiatives, among other projects.

 

 

Annual Budgets of Údarás na Gaeltachta Subsidiaries

A provision of €2.10m has been approved by the Board of Údarás na Gaeltachta for its subsidiaries and for one strategic company to implement their annual work programmes in 2023.

• €619,500 was approved for Comhar Naíonraí na Gaeltachta who provide a support service for a range of early Gaeltacht education services.
• €879,500 was approved for Muintearas CTR to promote training, education, youth and early education projects and to administer the Summer Camps Scheme.
• €600,000 was approved for Ealaín (na Gaeltachta) CTR to implement a comprehensive arts programme in the Gaeltacht including services and grant schemes, which support the development of arts organisations and individual artists in the Gaeltacht.

 

Community Development & Language Budget

A provision of €753,750 has been approved for various schemes which promote community, language, and tourism development.

• Funding of €163,250 was approved for the Local Community Development Programme (LCDP) for two organisations under this scheme — Pobal le Chéile CDP CTR based in An Fál Carrach, Co. Donegal and CDP na Rosann CTR, An Clochán Liath, Co. Donegal.
• A provision of €250,000, an increase of €85,000, was approved for a range of supports provided by An tÚdarás for events and language support activities which aim to preserve, promote and develop the Irish language throughout the Gaeltacht.
• A provision of €165,000 a has been approved for a range of activities to focus on supporting the cultural tourism sector in the Gaeltacht, building on the partnership established with Fáilte Éireann in 2022 and working in co-operation with community development and tourism organisations.
• A provision of €120,000 has been approved for the Community Enterprise Scheme to assist committees/community organisations to meet the costs of developing small community initiatives, carrying out research or purchasing essential equipment.
• A provision of €70,000 was approved as a gteic network support fund to help develop digital networks, in conjunction with co-operatives and community-based organisations.

 

Social Enterprise Initiatives

A fund of €250,000 has been approved to support the work being carried out by Údarás na Gaeltachta’s Community Development Unit in relation to the Gaeltacht Social Enterprise Programme and the resulting mentoring process.

Údarás na Gaeltachta has placed a particular emphasis on social enterprise, because it will enable Gaeltacht community development groups to provide additional services and projects in the Gaeltacht, and to do so in a way which will provide additional revenue streams for community development organisations.

 

Diaspora Fund

The Gaeltacht Diaspora project is an integral part of Údarás na Gaeltachta’s 2021-2025 Strategic Plan and a provision of €59,000 was approved to build on the Diaspora Programme in 2023. There is a strong Gaeltacht diaspora worldwide which is valuable in terms of networking, attracting people home, investments and more. Further information and awareness campaigns are planned for 2023, as well as the establishment of a new genealogical service. We intend to conduct research focusing on the diaspora of the various Gaeltacht regions as well as organising events for the Gaeltacht and Diaspora communities.

 

 

Gaeltacht Ghlas

Strong progress was made in 2022 on the Gaeltacht Ghlas, part of the current 5-year Strategy of Údarás na Gaeltachta, focused on sustainability on several levels: environmental, linguistic, community, and employment. Provision of €90,000 has been made for the implementation of the strategy in 2023.

 

 

 

Administration Grants for Community Development Organisations

A total provision of €3,835,750 was approved by the Board of Údarás na Gaeltachta in administration grants for community development organisations for 2023, an increase of €492,750.

Údarás na Gaeltachta provides administration funding to 33 community organisations, to assist them with the implementation of a community development programme focusing on the needs of the local community. The Gaeltacht community development organisations are an integral part of the Gaeltacht’s development infrastructure and play an important role in implementing the objectives of the Údarás na Gaeltachta 2021-2025 Strategy. They play a vital role in the implementation of language plans in their respective areas as well as supporting the development of the gteic network, promoting tourism and cultural projects and investigating opportunities for renewable energy initiatives, among other projects.

 

The 2023 Community Development, Language and

Community Development Organisations Fund

 

	2023
	Provision
	€
Comhar Naíonraí na Gaeltachta CTR	619,500
Muintearas CTR	879,500
Ealaín (na Gaeltachta) CTR	600,000
Local Community Development Programme (LCDP)	163,250
Language Based Events and Activities	250,000
Cultural Tourism Development	165,000
Provision for assisting gteic network development	70,000
Gaeltacht Ghlas	90,000
Community Enterprise Scheme	120,000
Social Enterprise Initiatives	250,000
Diaspora Fund	59,000
Administration Grants for Community Organisations	3,858,750
Total	€7,125,000