The Minister of State for the Gaeltacht was in Downings this week to officially launch the North Donegal Language Plan.
Minister Jack Chambers visited Coláiste Ros Goill where made the announcement as part of the language planning process.
The Minister also announced that he has approved the Gaeltacht Lár Language Plan under the language planning process.
Gleann Fhinne Cuideachta faoi Theorainn Ráthaíochta is the lead language planning organisation responsible for the preparation and implementation of the plan for this Language Planning Area.
An annual budget of up to €100,000 each will be made available to both lead organisations over the seven-year life cycle of the plan and the employment of one Language Planning Officer will be provided for.
Minister of State Chambers said he was delighted with the progress made to date in the language planning process.
“The approval of the An Ghaeltacht Lár language plan, the 25th plan approved under the process, is a major step forward,” he said.
“Well done to the lead organisation ‘Gleann Fhinne Cuideachta faoi theorainn Ráthaíochta’ which prepared the language plan for An Ghaeltacht Lár. Congratulations to Póilín Uí Ghallachóir, the newly appointed Language Planning Officer for the North Donegal area.”
The Gteic Complex in Gaoth Dobhair.
Meanwhile, on a visit to Gteic in Gaoth Dobhair, the Minister also announced a grant of up to €150,000 for Ealaín na Gaeltachta to develop a pilot drama programme for young people in the Gaeltacht.
This grant, which will be available for a period of one year will enable the employment of a co-ordinator to develop the programme.
This will include the provision of 700 hours of tuition in Irish language drama which will benefit approximately 230 school pupils in the Gaeltacht.
This funding complements the €1.275m three-year allocation approved for the organisation in 2019 to implement a programme for the benefit of language-based arts in the Gaeltacht in support of both the language planning process and the policy for Gaeltacht education.
Under this programme, additional language acquisition and enrichment opportunities are provided for young people in the Gaeltacht.
Announcing the grant, Minister of State Chambers said:
“I am delighted to announce this pilot programme today – a programme that will provide an additional platform for Irish language drama for the young people of the Gaeltacht. During the pandemic, many services moved to a blended approach of personal and online services for young people. This funding will help to strengthen and develop this infrastructure, ensuring that high quality drama is made available to the Irish language community. The arts are also important in supporting the mental well-being of our young people and I am delighted that this fund will support activities that will enhance the quality of life and positive well-being of young people in the Gaeltacht.”
Minister of State Chambers also visited Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge in Páirc Ghnó Ghaoth Dobhair.
There, he got a view of the work of the Acadamh in the Donegal Gaeltacht.
The Minister recently announced a three-year allocation of up to €3m to enable Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge to continue to provide a range of courses through the medium of Irish in the three Gaeltacht centres – in Gaoth Dobhair, Carna and An Cheathrú Rua.
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