At the third meeting of 2019 on Friday 26 April, during the West Waterford Food Festival in Rinn Ó gCuanach, the Foras na Gaeilge board approved grants worth €358,754.
Grants were approved for 71 summer camps running throughout the island during the summer. The Summer Camps Scheme 2019, which was announced earlier this year, will give the opportunity to young people between three and eighteen years of age to attend sports, drama, dancing, music and filming activities as well as trips. Grants worth €148,065, each a maximum of €2,500 or £1,750, have been approved for 71 separate camps this year.

Foras na Gaeilge provides funding support each year to community committees to establish new nursery school provision or nurseries through the Investment Fund for the Establishment of Preschool Provision and Childcare scheme. Grants were approved through this fund for Gaelscoil Aodha Dhuibh (£73,000) in Carryduff and Cúram Leanaí na Fuiseoige (£73,000) in Belfast.

As well as summer camps and nursery schools, €48,467 worth of grants were approved for major arts events running throughout the island during 2019. These include an Fhéile Náisiúnta Dhrámaíochta (€14,500), Féile an Phobail (£8,000) and Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann (€5,500). These are major events which aim to promote the Irish language and language-based Irish language arts through the medium of Irish or bilingually.

Foras na Gaeilge Chief Executive Seán Ó Coinn said, “We very much welcomed the opportunity to have a board meeting at the West Waterford Food Festival, a festival which Foras na Gaeilge has supported this year through the Festivals Scheme 2019. There were representatives from Waterford City and County Council and Pleanáil Teanga na nDéise present at various sessions and cooperation between us has been put on a strong footing for the future. As for the funding approved at the meeting, I have no doubt but that the grants will have a positive influence on the use of Irish among young people again this year. There is the same demand for the Summer Camps Scheme from year to year but it is a cause of regret for us that it is not in our power to support all eligible applications due to a lack of money, especially in view of the interest and commitment shown by the groups organising the camps.”

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Further Information:

Anna Davitt, Programme Manager: Communications, Marketing & Awareness, Foras na Gaeilge

Tel: 0035387 673 6175    

Email: adavitt@forasnagaeilge.ie