From Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
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As part of a visit to County Donegal today, Government Chief Whip and Minister of State for the Gaeltacht and Sport, Jack Chambers, has announced that the annual funding to be made available in future for the specific Gaeltacht Service Towns located in the Gaeltacht is being increased from €80,000 to €100,000 per year. This amounts to total funding of up to €700,000 per town over the lifetime of the 7-year language plans for the 3 towns in question – An Clochán Liath, Daingean Uí Chúis and Béal an Mhuirthead.
Minister of State Chambers said:
"I am delighted to announce that this additional fund worth up to €140,000 per town is being made available over the 7-year life-span of the specific language plans in question. As a result of this, an additional fund worth €20,000 per year – up to a total of €100,000 annually – will now be available to An Clochán Liath, Daingean Uí Chúis and Béal an Mhuirthead to further help them implement their language plans."
The Minister of State will launch the Language Plan for the Gaeltacht Service Town of An Clochán Liath this evening in Ionad Teampall Chróine.
Prior to that, the Minister of State will speak this afternoon at the closing session of the Assembly of European Regions conference, which is being hosted by Donegal County Council and Údarás na Gaeltachta this week.
Last night, the Minister of State officially opened Croithlí Distillery, in which Údarás na Gaeltachta and a group of entrepreneurs have made a significant investment over the past few years and which is now a tourist facility as well as a production centre.
During his visit to County Donegal today, Minister of State Chambers is getting an insight into Ulster-Scots culture and heritage in the east of the county by visiting the Monreagh Heritage Centre, Carrigans and the Ulster-Scots Agency offices, Raphoe.
Speaking about the visit, Minister of State Chambers said:
"It's great to have the opportunity to learn more about the work undertaken by Ulster-Scots Agency’s staff among the community in east Donegal to promote Ulster-Scots culture, heritage and language.
"As Minister of State with responsibility for the North-South Language Body, including the Ulster-Scots Agency and Foras na Gaeilge, I see new opportunities to foster awareness of Ulster-Scots throughout the island as part of the government's Shared Island initiative.
“It is important that we continue to support the Ulster-Scots community in this area and throughout the province.”