From Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
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In order to further help the Irish college sector, the Minister of State for the Gaeltacht Patrick O'Donovan announced today (Friday 10 March) that eligible host families under the department’s Irish Language Learners Scheme can now accept a maximum number of 16 students provided they have adequate space. A maximum number of 12 students had been in place under the scheme since 2014. This change takes effect immediately.
This will result in an additional income of c. €3,168 per year for host families under the department's scheme - not including the fee paid by colleges to host families (4 additional students x 22 nights x €12 x 3 summer courses).
This measure is in addition to a range of other supports previously approved by the department for the benefit of Irish colleges sector in the past year; along with an almost 20% increase in the daily grant payable under the department's scheme to host families, the department previously announced an increase from €2,000 to €6,000 to the one-off start-up grant which is available to host families who register under the scheme for the first time or who re-register under the scheme after a period of absence of not less than five years.
Minister of State O'Donovan said:
"I am delighted to be able to approve this practical measure for the benefit of both the scheme's families and the Irish language colleges system. This change will not only enable qualifying households to generate additional income from providing additional accommodation, but it will also help the colleges themselves. As a result of this measure both host families and colleges will be enabled to provide additional opportunities for the country's youth to attend Irish language courses in the natural domain of the language, the Gaeltacht - which will of course be to the ultimate benefit of the Irish language as well as the Gaeltacht."