I am delighted to approve funding of over €820,000 to develop a new Irish Language centre in Knocknacarra in Galway. Áras Mhic Amhlaigh will be located on the Gaelscoil Mhic Amhlaigh campus which is one of the largest Gaelscoileanna in the country.
Gaelscoil Mhic Amhlaigh, which started in 1993 with 20 pupils, is a great example of the demand for education through Irish in this area. Áras Mhic Amhlaigh will be an excellent resource for both the Irish Language community and the wider community. It will include a new Naíonra for the community as well as facilities for use by a wide range of Irish Language organisations.
The new centre will cater for over 70 preschool children and over 200 children will be able to attend for other pre/after school services through Irish, the only such services in the area.
As well as this, the Centre will provide new jobs for up to 15 people in addition to the 35 people already employed at the Gaelscoil working to strengthen Irish in the area.
With funds raised locally work has already commenced on the facility and I congratulate the committee for their work in guiding this project. I’ve been working on securing investment from my department for this project for some time and I’m delighted to see progress on the new centre which will, without doubt, support and encourage our national language in Knocknacarra, Barna and Galway City.
Tá an-áthas orm maoiniú do os cionn €820,000 a cheadú chun ionad nua Gaeilge a fhorbairt i gCnoc na Cathrach i nGaillimh. Beidh Áras Mhic Amhlaigh suite ar champas Gaelscoil Mhic Amhlaigh atá ar cheann de na Gaelscoileanna is mó sa tír.
Is léiriú an-mhaith í Gaelscoil Mhic Amhlaigh, scoil a thosaigh amach in 1993 le fiche páiste, ar an éileamh atá ar an scolaíocht trí Ghaeilge sa cheantar seo. Is acmhainn den scoth í Áras Mhic Amhlaigh do phobal na Gaeilge agus don phobal i gcoitinne. Beidh Naíonra nua don phobal ann, chomh maith le háiseanna a bheas ar fáil do raon leathan eagraíochtaí Gaeilge.
Beidh an t-ionad nua ag freastal ar thart ar 70 páiste réamhscoile agus beidh os cionn 200 páiste ábalta freastal ar sheirbhísí roimh/iarchúram scoile trí Ghaeilge, an t-aon seirbhís mar é sa cheantar. Chomh maith leis seo, beidh fostaíocht curtha ar fáil do 15 duine ar a laghad san ionad sa bhreis ar an 35 atá fostaithe sa Ghaelscoil cheana féin agus iad uilig ag obair ar mhaithe le cur chun cinn na Gaeilge sa cheantar.
Le hairgead a bailíodh go háitiúil, tá tús curtha cheana féin leis an áis agus tréaslaím leis an gcoiste as a gcuid oibre chun an tionscadal seo a threorú. Táim ag obair le tamall anuas ar infheistíocht a fháil ó mo roinn don tionscadal seo agus tá mé an-sásta leis an dul chun cinn atá déanta ar an ionad nua, gan aon amhras a thacóidh agus a spreagfaidh ár dteanga náisiúnta i gCnoc na Cathrach, Bearna agus Chathair na Gaillimhe.
Seán Kyne 