Irish Language Colleges Sector

Although the primary responsibility for the Irish language colleges themselves falls on the management of the respective colleges, the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht and the Department of Education and Youth both have a central and supportive role in supporting the sector at large.

The overall objective of the two Departments in this remit is to encourage compliance with the relevant statutory responsibilites which fall upon the management of the Irish language colleges, as well as promote good practice in every other relevant area in the sector as much as possible – including in matters of teaching and learning in the colleges. The statutory responsibilities include:

• Children First Act 2015
• Fire Services Act 1981
• National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012

The two Departments operate under the regulations and conditions laid out in the document entitled: Regulations for the recognition of Irish courses under the Irish Language Learners Scheme 2019 (amended), as it relates to the system.

In that context, the Department of Education and Youth provides advice, as well as monitoring and reporting on matters relating to teaching and learning, teachers’ qualifications and the general quality of the courses.

In order to foster language acquisition and enrichment opportunities in the Gaeltacht outside of the post-primary education system for the young people of the country, the Department provides a subsidy under the Irish Language Learners Scheme (SFG) payable to qualifying Gaeltacht families who provide accommodation for those attending an Irish class in any one of the c. 40 Irish-language colleges operating under the scheme.

This subsidy is worth €14.50 a night (equivalent to €304.50 per student for a three-week course (21 nights)), from which more than 27,000 students benefit per year while staying with families across the Gaeltacht who are recognised under the SFG. This represents a state investment worth more than €6m annually in the sector.

A family who wishes to apply for recognition under the SFG must take the following steps and send the relevant documents via email only to teaghlaighsfg@drcdg.gov.ie

Applying for recognition to the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht. The form for this must be completed and sent back to the Department. It is not sufficient to send an email seeking information.

New applications for recognition received after 01 May 2026 will not be processed until September 2026.

i. SFG 2 Application Form for Recognition under the Irish Language Learners Scheme

ii. SFG 3 EFT Mandate - Bank Details

iii. SFG 3 (A) Tax Certification [e.g. Tax Credit Certificate]

1. Making an Application for Garda Vetting with CONCOS. The recognition process cannot proceed until valid Vetting has been certified.
2. The family making the application must arrange a registration visit with the Department. A letter will be sent to the family shortly after this visit informing them whether or not their application for recognition has succeeded.
3. Adapting the accommodation which is to house students under the SFG, as well as sending an engineer’s certificate for the house to the Department This step should not be taken until written confirmation is received from the Department that the family succeeded in their application for recognition under the SFG.

Along with this practical assistance, the Department administers three other funds under the scheme, for the benefit of the Irish language and the Gaeltacht, namely:

• DEIS Gaeltachta - Under this initiative, which began in 2019, more than 800 scholarships are provided annually which are worth
• Up to maximum value of €950 or 85% of the course fee, whichever is less (3 week course)
• Up to maximum value of €820 or 85% of the course fee, whichever is less (2 week course)

This provides unique opportunities to students of the country’s DEIS post-primary schools so that they can attend an Irish-language college in the Gaeltacht. This initiative is run by the Galway Roscommon Education and Training Board (GRETB) and more information on how to apply for a scholarship is available by sending an email to scolaireachtaideis@gretb.ie

• ERASMUS Gaeltachta – Under this initiative, which began in 2019, funding worth up to €250,000 annually is provided to give c. 175 third-level students, the opportunity to live with Gaeltacht families for a university semester while they attend a qualified third-level course
• Scéim Oileánda (Árainn) Gaeltachta - Under this initiative, funding worth up to €213,000 annually is provided so that c. 30 post-primary students per year can spend a full school year attending any one of the three post-primary schools on the Aran islands.

As well as that, funding is provided for the umbrella organisation Comhchoiste Náisiúnta na gColáistí Samhraidh(CONCOS) to further assist the Irish colleges sector.

The scheme is administered as part of the Community and Language Supports Scheme, for the benefit of the language planning process and overall implementation of the 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030. Area of Action 2 of the Action Plan 2018-2022, which was published by the Department in June 2018, lays out what the Department is doing and what it has proposed in collaboration with other stakeholders as it relates to the sector.

More information is available from the Irish Language Colleges Section by sending an email to:-

colaistigaeilge@drcdg.gov.ie - for queries relating to colleges, the ÁRAINN Gaeltachta Scheme and family payments

teaghlaighsfg@drcdg.gov.ie - for queries relating to family recognition or registration under the SFG and the One-Time Starting Grant (Deontas Tosaithe Aonuaire)

Information Package and household registration

Start-Up Grant

Regulations and application forms for recognition of Irish courses

Irish language Colleges must seek recognition at least one month before the start date of courses. All documents relating to course recognition and classes can be found below. The relevant forms must be completed in full before sending them back to the Department via email only to colaistigaeilge@drcdg.gov.ie

Payment Claim Forms

In order for the Department (Irish Language Colleges Section) to process payments, colleges must have relevant forms completed in full before returning to the Department via email to colaistigaeilge@drcdg.gov.ie