Statement from the Board Meeting of Údarás na Gaeltachta - January 28th  2022

Budget of €6.125m approved for Community Development, Language & Community Development Organisations for 2022

A €1m increase in investment in community affairs in the Gaeltacht

The Board of Údarás na Gaeltachta today (28/01/2022) approved a total budget of €6.125m to fund the implementation of the organisation’s Community Development, Language and Cultural Tourism Programme for 2022. The budget approved for this programme shows an increase of €1m for 2022.

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 as well as 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 provision for the Community and Language Development Programme, which has increased by €1m in 2022 and the remainder of the budget is made available through Údarás na Gaeltachta’s own funds.

Annual Budgets of Údarás na Gaeltachta Subsidiaries

A provision of €1.87m has been approved by the Board of Údarás na Gaeltachta for its subsidiaries and a strategic company to implement their annual work programmes in 2022.

• €590,000 was approved for Comhar Naíonraí na Gaeltachta who provide a support service for a range of early Gaeltacht education services and to assist naíonraí with low attendance in less developed, remote or island areas.
• €780,000 was approved for Muintearas CTR to promote training, education, youth and early education projects and to administer the Summer Camps Scheme.
• €500,000 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. The Arts Council has also significantly increased its co-funding for 2022.

Community Development & Language Budget

A provision of €625,000, which represents an increase of €185,000, has been approved for various schemes which promote community, language and tourism development.

• Funding of €155,000 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 €165,000, an increase of €55,000, was approved for a range of supports provided by An tÚdarás for activities and language preservation activities which aim to preserve, promote and develop the Irish language throughout the Gaeltacht.
• In light of the significant blow received by the tourism sector, a provision of €145,000, an increase of €70,000, has been approved for a range of activities to focus on supporting the cultural tourism sector in the Gaeltacht, building on the partnerships established with co-operatives and other community and tourism organisations and to cater for projects which will assist with the development of tourism in the Gaeltacht.
• In recognition of the important work being carried out by committees and community organisations throughout the Gaeltacht, a significant increase is being proposed for the Community Enterprise Scheme with a provision of €100,000 approved to assist committees/community organisations to meet the costs of developing small community initiatives, carrying out research or purchasing essential equipment.
• A provision of €60,000, an increase of €15,000, was approved as a gteic network support fund to help develop digital networks, in conjunction with co-operatives and community-based organisations, in areas where it will be challenging to cover the placement and running costs.

Social Enterprise Initiatives

A fund of €210,000 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, based on the fact that 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 enhance the community development organisation’s revenue, this particular fund is being provided to assist community development organisations to develop various initiatives.

 

Diaspora Fund

The Gaeltacht Diaspora project is an integral part of Údarás na Gaeltachta’s 2021-2025 Strategic Plan and a new provision of €54,000 was approved to build on the Diaspora Programme in 2022. There is a strong Gaeltacht diaspora worldwide and has significant value in terms of networking, attracting people home, investments and more. Údarás na Gaeltachta has made significant progress on the Diaspora project, with An tÚdarás mentioned, for example, in the Bilateral Policy between Ireland and Scotland, as well as the strong links between Gaeltacht areas and the United States. In 2021, the Gaeltacht Diaspora Centre was established in conjunction with the Emigrants Commemorative Centre in Carna, creating a direct link with the Gaeltacht Diaspora.

Administration Grants for Community Development Organisations

A total provision of €3,366,000 was approved by the Board of Údarás na Gaeltachta in administration grants for community development organisations for 2022 which indicates a €550,000 increase from 2021. Details of the funding for individual organisations will be published in due course when work programmes for 2022 have been approved.

Údarás na Gaeltachta provides administration funding to 33 community organisations, between cooperatives and community-based companies, in order to assist them with the implementation of a community development programme in their functional areas which focus on the needs of the local community. The Gaeltacht cooperatives are an integral part of the Gaeltacht’s development foundation and play a significant role in implementing the aims and objectives of the upcoming ‘Údarás na Gaeltachta Strategy 2021-2025’. 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 looking at the opportunities for renewable energy for cooperatives, among other priorities.

 The 2022 Community Development, Language and Community Development Organisations Fund

	2022
	Provision
	€
Comhar Naíonraí na Gaeltachta CTR	590,000
Muintearas CTR	780,000
Ealaín (na Gaeltachta) CTR	500,000
Local Community Development Programme (LCDP)	155,000
Language Based Events and Activities	165,000
Cultural Tourism Development	145,000
Provision for assisting gteic network development	60,000
Community Enterprise Scheme	100,000
Social Enterprise Initiatives	210,000
Diaspora Fund	54,000
Administration Grants for Community Organisations	3,366,000
Total	€6,125,000