There has been a 30% fall in the number of families hosting Gaeltacht college students in the last four years, a new documentary has revealed.
TG4’s current affairs programme Iniúchadh TG4 will tonight explore impact and reasons for the decline in “bean an tís” from Gaeltacht colleges in Donegal are other counties.
Investigative reporter Kevin Magee will visit villages to examine the matter in an hour-long documentary to be broadcast on TG4 on Wed 19th of April at 9.30pm.
The increasing age profile of “mná tí”, changing social habits, a move out of the sector into self-catering, and insufficient pay for keeping students are among some of the reasons given.
The fall in host families means thousands of students are being turned away from summer colleges in the Gaeltacht this this year because there is nowhere to house them.
Three colleges that Iniúchadh TG4 spoke to had a combined waiting list of almost 2,000 students. (Coláiste Chamuis – 1300, Coláiste Acla – 250 and Coláiste Bhríde Rann na Feirste – 400).
The latest figures on the Gaeltacht sector released by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to Iniúchadh TG4 show the number of mná tí entering the sector are considerably lower than those opting to leave. Thirty-nine host families registered in 2022, bringing the total to 495.
The number of Irish colleges offering residential summer courses has also fallen, according to the figures obtained from the Department of TCAGSM. In 2018 there were 52 colleges registered with the Department, but only 40 re-opened in 2022. 46 colleges are offering courses in 2023. According to the Department four colleges; Coláiste na Rosann, Anagaire and Coláiste Aodh Mhic Bhricne in Teileann, Co. Donegal and Coláiste Bhreanainn, Baile an Bhuineanaigh, Co. Kerry and Coláiste Gleann Maghair, Co. Cork have so far not registered to operate this year.
Iniúchadh TG4 – Mná Tí will broadcast on TG4 on Wednesday April 19th at 9:30pm and will be available worldwide on the TG4 Player.
