Ex-Minister seeks aid for Gaeltacht households

Money set aside to subsidise student accommodation while attending Gaeltacht courses should still be granted to the ‘mná tí’ to help offset the devastating impact of the cancellation of Irish language summer colleges across the region.

That’s the proposal from former minister and Connemara resident Éamon Ó Cuív, who said that the loss of the Irish colleges for the first time in 116 years has been a massive economic blow to the Gaeltacht.

Households which take in twelve students immersing themselves in Gaeltacht life for three courses can make a gross profit before tax of nearly €15,000 through a subsidy from the Department and a fee from the Irish colleges.

Out of that they must pay for food, light, heat and wear and tear of their homes as well as putting in long hours to provide full board.

Fianna Fáil TD Éamon Ó Cuív estimates that the 500 Galway mná tí would likely make 20% to 30% profit from that once all expenses are paid out.

Yet they are not entitled to the Covid-19 payment of €350 a week because they were not working at the time the pandemic lockdown was declared.

“They work seven days a week for up to 66 days – that’s equivalent to 13 weeks. If they got the Covid payment that would be €4,550. They should be getting the grant equivalent of the Covid payment from the Department of the Gaeltacht which already has the €10 a night subsidy in its coffers for the 27,000 students which would have been attending the courses,” he believes.

“The people who benefit from that subsidy are the thousands of children who get full board and Irish language classes for 22 days at a very affordable rate which are supervised at all times – the record of kids not coming to harm is unparalleled.”

Deputy Ó Cuív understands that a proposal for a grant package to be paid to the accommodation providers as well as the colleges which will also have no income this year was brought by the Department of the Gaeltacht to the Department of Public Expenditure. But it has yet to be approved.

“I’m very, very worried that they’ve had this proposal since late March but have not signed off on it. The Department has in the region of €6 million from the subsidy,” he said.

“I have tabled a question to the Minister for the Gaeltacht Josepha Madigan about whether she has brought a need memo into the Cabinet about this so the question of whether to support the people of the Gaeltacht can be discussed by the 15 ministers.”

Colleges, the mná tí and the halls and facilities funded by the Department rely on income from the Irish colleges to pay for things like insurance.

He also called on the Minister to examine a new grant that would encourage families to stay in a house in the Gaeltacht during a shorter period like five days in August.

“This could happen over three or four weeks in August on a rolling basis. The scheme could help retrieve some of the season for the mná tí. It would also give a unique opportunity to families to learn the Irish language together in a programme.”

Deputy Madigan replied that Minister and Senator Sean Kyne as well as officials in the Gaeltacht Department have met the college representative organisation, CONCOS, to examine support packages.

“We are aware that it is important and intrinsic to the entirety of the Gaeltacht, not just the mná tí. The Deputy can rest assured that this is on our radar and something on which we are working intensely.”