End of Year Statement 2024: Employment, Publishing & Awareness

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End of Year Statement 2024: Employment, Publishing & Awareness

536 grants awarded & 220 jobs funded

Book sales of €1m through Áis

Creidim Ionat campaign wins prestigious Digital Media Award

The End of Year Statement reveals the impact of Foras na Gaeilge during 2024 by providing grants, creating employment, and promoting the use of Irish through awareness projects and funding schemes. Foras na Gaeilge was proud to provide 536 grants throughout the island and to fund 220 jobs in the Irish language sector, including Lead Organisations, partners and other groups.

Sales of €1m to bookshops through the book distribution agency, Áis, revealed the demand for Irish language books (over 200,000 units). Projects such as Love Leabhar Gaeilge, the Oireachtas na Gaeilge Publishing Awards 2024, and World Book Day 2024, drew attention to the exceptional quality of Irish language books which are currently being published.

Foras na Gaeilge and Lorg Media were delighted to receive the Irish Language Digital Media Award for the best integrated media strategy for Creidim Ionat with support from RTÉ. Through partnership with Gael Linn, Gaelchultúr and Scoil Scairte, Creidim Ionat encouraged hundreds of people to register for Irish classes, online events and resources for all levels. The awareness campaign, Scéal na nGael, gave an insight into what has been achieved through the €1.8m investment by Foras na Gaeilge in Irish language centres throughout the country over the past three years.

Foras na Gaeilge Chairperson, Professor Regina Uí Chollatáin said, "As Foras na Gaeilge celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2024, it was timely to hold the first international conference on the language planning process for the Irish language. Foras na Gaeilge catered for the continuous demand for Irish language books when the sales of Áis exceeded €1 million in 2024."

Foras na Gaeilge Chief Executive, Seán Ó Coinn, said, "Despite what we achieved during 2024, our budget will be extremely challenging for 2025 as things stand. There is an urgent need for a fair and long-term funding solution that will allow Foras na Gaeilge to serve the community and build on 2024, rather than cutting services".

Ends

Images

A PDF copy of the End of Year Statement and additional images are available here.