Coronavirus: Emergency fund of £1.2m for Irish language groups

Many organisations have had to close or cancel events due to the coronavirus pandemic, leading to financial losses

Irish language organisations are to receive £1.2m in emergency funding from the Department of Communities (DfC).

Ulster-Scot language groups will also receive £850,000, while £430,000 is being made available to Sign Language organisations.

The funding is part of £29m previously agreed by the executive for the arts, culture and heritage sectors.

Many organisations have had to close or cancel events due to the coronavirus pandemic, leading to financial losses.

Arts venues and organisations and heritage sites have previously been told they can apply for around £13m of emergency funding.

The Irish language funding of £1.2m is aimed at language centres and community groups.

The funding is part of £29m previously agreed by the executive for the arts, culture and heritage sectors

Irish language campaign group Conradh na Gaeilge will administer £610,000 of the funding.

Irish language groups with staff will be able to apply for grants of up to £30,000 to cover wage and income losses as a result of Covid-19.

Other community organisations can apply for grants of up to £15,000 to cover losses in income and to relaunch activities in 2021.

Smaller grants of between £2500 and £5000 will be available to help Irish language groups resume events and festivals.

Applications for the funding can made until 2 December 2020.

'Financial reassurances'

The President of Conradh na Gaeilge Dr Niall Comer said that the impact of Covid-19 had left many Irish language organisations under huge financial pressures.

"Conradh na Gaeilge will ensure this funding meets the most pressing needs of groups in the community and will support them in their efforts to provide language services to communities and financial reassurances to their staff," he said.

The Ulster-Scots Agency will administer the £850,000 Covid-19 resilience fund for that sector.

Grants of between £3000 and £30000 will be made to Ulster-Scots organisations.

Meanwhile, the support fund for Sign Language organisations will be run by the Department for Communities.

The £430,000 fund will provide grants to support organisations working with the deaf community and families with deaf children.

Communities Minister Carál Ní Chuilín said the money would help organisations and self-employed sign language workers support the deaf community through "the current crisis and beyond."