Senator Niall Ó Donnghaile has welcomed today’s announcement by Aire Deirdre Hargey that all those in receipt of a Líofa Gaeltacht Scholarship for 2020 will be given the chance to attend the Summer Colleges next year instead.

This is in light of the decision by the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to cancel this summer’s Gaeltacht Courses as a result of the COVID-19 Health Crisis. 

Seanadóir Ó Donnghaile said:

“This is a welcome decision by Minister Hargey and will go some significant way to ease the fears of parents and young people who thought they might be missing out on a course this year and potentially next year.

“All those who were successful this year will have the opportunity next Summer to attend a course.

“A trip to the Gaeltacht is a significant social, cultural and educational experience for countless young people; today’s decision by Aire Hargey will ensure young people get to have those positive experiences next year.

“The decision to keep the deposits in the hands of the Colleges themselves will also go some way toward their running costs in what will no doubt be a difficult time for them.

“Sinn Féin will keep the pressure on Minister Kyne in Dublin to ensure he releases a timeline for the support packages to be released for the colleges and Mná Tí.”