Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary, has announced that an allocation of up to €493,509 has now been approved for Muintearas Teo to develop a youth services programme in the Gaeltacht in 2026.
Muintearas Teo is a subsidiary of Údarás na Gaeltachta with responsibility for youth development in the Gaeltacht.
This allocation will help the organisation prioritise the staff and key services that will be the cornerstone of the sector in 2026 and commence building towards the improvement of youth services in Gaeltacht areas. It will be used to employ a Youth Manager, a Training Coordinator and part-time youth workers and to develop QQI modules and courses.
Making the announcement, the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary, said:
“This support will enhance the number and range of services available from Muintearas which will encourage the use and promotion of the Irish language among young people. It will also greatly enhance the organisation’s ability to develop employment and training opportunities for Irish speakers. The need for comprehensive youth services has been recognised for some time by language planners in the Gaeltacht and this is the first step in addressing this demand on a systematic basis in order to strengthen the language planning process.”