Cathaoirleach says start-up grant for bean an tí must be increased

The Gaeltacht season will see hundreds of students flood the county’s Gaeltacht areas however there are fears there may not be enough beds for all those who wish to come to these rural areas to brush up on their Gaeilge.

The Cathaoirleach Chomhchoiste Náisiúnta na gColáistí Samhraidh, Frank Ó Maoláin said there is a problem as the number of host families has decreased as a result of continuing fears following the pandemic.

Ireland's most northerly Gaeilge summer camp

Tá fáilte mhór roimh chách

Speaking on Morning Ireland, Mr Ó Maoláin said many host families would have elderly members staying with them or staying nearby and their concerns are ‘very understandable.’ 

Coláiste Bhríde in Rann na Feirste, under the stewardship of Frank Ó Maoláin has welcomed 4 or 5 new host families who students can stay with under their care: “I know that in my own college, Coláiste Bhríde we are welcoming four or five new bean an tí's and I wish them well and that is hoping all over the country.”

He has called for an increase in funding for those who care for students or scolairí Gaeilge as they are known locally.

Ceardlann a chuideoidh leat ábhar Gaeilge den scoth a chruthú ar-líne

Beidh an saineolaí Linda Keating i mbun an ranga

He said the number of beds has decreased around 30 and 40 percent nationally adding that the government and Roinn na Gaeltachta ought to focus on attracting and encouraging new families into the business as well as welcoming former hosts back. Chomhchoiste Náisiúnta na gColáistí Samhraidh has forty-six colleges under their direction, nationally. This year, there was a ‘tsunami’ of interest from students who wished to come to Gaeltacht areas, he said.

The start-up grant of €2,000 is not adequate for people hoping to house students and the standard of the home of the bean an tí is very high, according to the chairperson. 

He said that he would support an increase in the grant funding: “The standard of a bean an tí’s house now compared to what it was around forty years ago is absolutely way, way higher. You have to get engineers’ reports, the windows, doors, fire escapes etc and I am supporting that but there is a cost involved at the start and what they have to realise is that cost has to be grant aided to a higher degree than two-thousand euro. You will get nothing done for two-thousand euro and then when they are in the system it becomes a labour of love but they must be properly recompensed also.”