The Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary TD, announced the approval of funding amounting to €493,509 for Muintearas Teo to develop a youth services programme in the Gaeltacht in 2026. The funding represents a major step toward strengthening youth development initiatives in Irish-speaking regions and advancing the government’s commitment to sustaining the Irish language through community-based engagement.
Muintearas Teo, a subsidiary of Údarás na Gaeltachta, plays a central role in youth development within the Gaeltacht. The newly approved allocation will enable the organisation to enhance its staffing and essential services, including the recruitment of a Youth Manager, a Training Coordinator, and part-time youth workers. It will also support the development of QQI-accredited training modules and courses designed to improve the quality and accessibility of youth programmes.
Minister Calleary emphasized that the funding will expand the range of services provided by Muintearas, encouraging greater use of the Irish language among young people while creating new employment and training opportunities for Irish speakers. He noted that the need for comprehensive youth services has long been recognised by Gaeltacht language planners, and this initiative marks the beginning of a structured response to strengthen the language planning process through targeted youth engagement.
Muintearas Teo has a longstanding mandate to promote education, training, and youth development in Gaeltacht communities. It currently manages several key initiatives, including the Summer Camps Scheme and the Language Assistants Scheme, on behalf of the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht. The organisation oversees 42 registered youth clubs that collectively serve over 1,500 young people across Gaeltacht regions.
Under the new programme, the Youth Manager—at Assistant Principal Officer level—will lead staff and budget management, as well as oversee the development of a comprehensive youth strategy. Meanwhile, the Training Coordinator—at Higher Executive Officer level—will focus on designing and maintaining training courses that meet QQI standards, ensuring high-quality education and skills development opportunities for youth across the Gaeltacht.
