D’fhoilsigh Údarás na Gaeltachta a Ráiteas Deireadh Bliana do 2024 inniu (4 Feabhra 2025), ag léiriú éachtaí suntasacha i réimsí na fostaíochta, na hinfheistíochta agus na forbartha teanga.
Nasc: Ráiteas Deireadh Bliana do 2024
Folúntais :https://udaras.ie/foluntais-eanair-2025/
Príomhéachtaí na Bliana 2024:
- Bhain cliaint-chomhlachtaí an Údaráis amach an leibhéal díolacháin is airde riamh
- Cruthaíodh 869 post nua sna ceantair Ghaeltachta
- Bhí 9,743 duine fostaithe i gcliaint-chomhlachtaí an Údaráis faoi dheireadh na bliana
- Infheistíodh níos mó ná €7 milliún i dtionscadail forbartha pobail
- Pleananna Teanga á gcur i bhfeidhm i 28 Limistéar Pleanála Teanga
- Treochlár á fhorbairt d’uirlis Ardintleachta na Gaeilge
Fiontar agus Fostaíocht
Tháinig ardú de 217 duine ar líon na bhfostaithe i gcliaint-chomhlachtaí Údarás na Gaeltachta sa bhliain 2024, rud a d’fhág go raibh 9,743 duine ar an iomlán fostaithe iontu faoi dheireadh na bliana. Tháinig méadú ar phoist i gcúig cheantar Gaeltachta, agus bhí 200 post le líonadh i gcliaint-chomhlachtaí Údarás na Gaeltachta faoi dheireadh 2024.
Ba í seo an bhliain is fearr riamh ó thaobh díolacháin de do chliaint-chomhlachtaí an Údaráis, le díolachán iomlán de €1.098 billiún – ardú 4.4% ar 2023 agus méadú 28% i gcomparáid le deich mbliana ó shin. As an méid sin, bhain luach €658 milliún le heaspórtáil, méadú €20 milliún ó 2023.
Pleanáil Teanga
Bhí 28 Plean Teanga ag feidhmiú sa bhliain 2024, le buiséad €3.9m ag tacú le 36 post. Cheadaigh an Roinn maoiniú breise de €3.22m don Údarás chun dhá chlár tacaíochta nua a chruthú agus a reáchtáil ó 2025 ar aghaidh, dírithe ar úsáid na Gaeilge a threisiú i gcliaint-chomhlachtaí Gaeltachta.
Forbairt Pobail
Infheistíodh níos mó ná €7 milliún i bhforbairt pobail i mbliana. As an méid sin, tugadh €3.88 milliún mar dheontais oibriúcháin do 33 eagraíocht forbartha pobail sna ceantair Ghaeltachta. Le linn 2024, bhain 953 duine tairbhe as na Scéimeanna Fostaíochta Sóisialta, agus cuireadh ciste nua ar bun, le luach €210,000, chun tacú le tionscadail ghnó shóisialta.
Nuálaíocht Dhigiteach
D’fhógair an tÚdarás, i gcomhar leis an Roinn Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán, agus an Roinn Caiteachais Phoiblí, Seachadta agus Athchóirithe, próiseas tairisceana sa bhliain 2024 chun uirlis Ardintleachta (AI) don Ghaeilge a fhorbairt faoi dheireadh 2026. Beidh an uirlis seo in ann feidhmiú le haon táirge Ardintleachta atá ar an margadh agus seirbhís i nGaeilge ghlan, chanúnach a chur ar fáil, ag cur na Gaeilge chun tosaigh mar eiseamláir do theangacha neamhfhorleathana ar fud na cruinne.
Rinne an tÚdarás maoirseacht ar oibriú 29 ionad digiteach, mar chuid den líonra gteic. Tá níos mó ná 465 fostaí agus 869 spás oibre iomlán ar fáil sna hionaid seo faoi láthair.
Oideachas agus Oiliúint
Seoladh dhá chlár úrnua spreagúil sa bhliain 2024 chun borradh a chur faoi fhorbairt na Gaeltachta. Díríonn an chéad cheann, CUMASÚ, ar mhná gnó na Gaeltachta a chumasú agus a threisiú. Tá 41 banfhiontraí páirteach sa chlár ceannródaíoch seo faoi láthair, agus tá sé mar sprioc an líon sin a mhéadú go 150 rannpháirtí laistigh de thrí bliana.
Anuas air sin, tá clár nuálach eile, GAIRM, seolta ag Údarás na Gaeltachta do chéimithe óga. Faoi láthair, tá deichniúr céimithe ag tabhairt faoin gclár seo, áit a bhfuil siad ag comhlíonadh Dioplóma Iarchéime in Ollscoil Teicneolaíochta an Atlantaigh agus ag cur taithí luachmhar faoin mbainistíocht agus forbairt pobail orthu féin i gcomhthéacs na Gaeltachta.
Turasóireacht agus Cultúr
Tá an turasóireacht sna ceantair Ghaeltachta ar cheann de phríomhspriocanna an Údaráis. Le linn 2024, cuireadh maoiniú suntasach ar fáil d’ionaid chuairteoirí agus d’áiseanna cultúrtha. Ina measc, ceadaíodh €2.41 milliún d’ionad cuairteoirí Árann, tá ionad nua á thógáil i gCarna a thabharfaidh léargas ar scéal na himirce, agus tá comhoibriú ar bun le Tithe Soilse na hÉireann chun turasóireacht inbhuanaithe a chur chun cinn ar an gcósta.
Dúirt Príomhfheidhmeannach Údarás na Gaeltachta, Tomás Ó Síocháin:
“Tá áthas orainn na torthaí láidre seo a roinnt libh ón mbliain is rathúla de chuid Údarás na Gaeltachta go dtí seo. Sa bhliain 2025, leanfaimid ag tógáil ar an bhfás seo ionas go leanfaidh na comhlachtaí a dtacaíonn an tÚdarás leo ag forbairt.”
Dúirt sé freisin:
“Tuigim go maith go bhfuilimid ag cur an ráitis seo i láthair go gairid i ndiaidh an scrios a rinne Stoirm Éowyn, agus go bhfuil tionchar na stoirme fós le brath i go leor ceantar ar fud na tíre. Léiríonn sé seo an gá atá le seasmhacht seirbhísí sna ceantair Ghaeltachta, chomh maith le hinfheistíocht agus slándáil don bhonneagar chun a chinntiú go mbeidh gnólachtaí in ann leanúint ar aghaidh lena ngnó nuair a tharlaíonn eachtraí aimsire mar seo.”
Dúirt Siobhán Ní Ghadhra, Cathaoirleach Bhord Údarás na Gaeltachta:
“Cé go bhfuilimid ag ceiliúradh an dul chun cinn seo, aithnímid na dúshláin atá romhainn. Táimid tiomanta do thodhchaí rathúil a chinntiú dár nGaeltachtaí, ag tacú leis an ngeilleagar áitiúil, agus ag cinntiú go leanaimid ar aghaidh ag cothú agus ag caomhnú na teanga atá ríthábhachtach i gcothabháil pobal inmharthana Gaeltachta.”
English
Údarás na Gaeltachta, the regional development agency for the Gaeltacht, today (4th February 2025) released its End of Year Statement for 2024 showing significant achievements in job creation, investment, and language promotion initiatives.
Link: 2024 End of Year Statment
Vacancies: https://udaras.ie/foluntais-eanair-2025/
Key highlights include:
- Highest sales in history across Údarás client companies
- 869 new jobs created in Gaeltacht areas in 2024
- 9,743 employed in Údarás client companies at the end of 2024
- Excess of €7m investment in community development
- Language Plans being implemented in 28 Language Planning Areas
- Roadmap in development for an Irish Language AI tool
Enterprise and Employment
There was a net growth of 217 in the number employed in Údarás client companies at the end of 2024, bringing the total employed to 9,743. Údarás companies achieved the highest sales in Údarás na Gaeltachta history with €1.098 billion in sales including €658m in exports – an increase of over €20 million since 2023. There was almost €1.1bn (1.098) in annual sales during the year, which is a 4.4% increase from 2023, and 28% growth compared to 2014.
Employment grew in five of the seven Gaeltacht counties, continuing a post Covid trend that has resulted in employment gains across all Gaeltacht counties since the 2020 pandemic. A further 200 job vacancies were also recorded by the end of the year within client companies spanning all 7 Gaeltacht counties.
Language Planning
2024 saw 28 Language Plans in operation, supported by an annual budget of €3.9m, supporting 36 posts. In addition to supporting Údarás and Language Planning Officers to encourage Irish language use among Gaeltacht businesses, the Department approved further funding of €3.22m in 2024 for Údarás to develop and deliver two new three-year support programs from 2025 on.
Community Development
Overall investment in community development exceeded €7 million, including €3.88 million in operational grants for 33 community development organisations supported across Gaeltacht regions. 2024 also saw 953 participants in Social Employment Schemes and a €210,000 fund established for social enterprise projects.
Digital Innovation
Údarás, in conjunction with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER), announced in 2024 that it was starting the process of the development of a roadmap for an Irish Language AI tool. The goal set out is independent speech communication with AI choice on any tool by the end of 2026.
Údarás oversaw the operation of 29 digital hubs, as part of the gteic network, four of which are under development. These hubs currently have over 465 employees and 869 total workspaces available.
Education & Training
Údarás na Gaeltachta’s programmes supported entrepreneurs across the country in 2024. Its initiatives are empowering future generations of the Gaeltacht regions and upskilling those currently employed within the Gaeltacht communities.
CUMASÚ, a new pioneering program for Gaeltacht women entrepreneurs launched in 2024 across all Gaeltacht Counties to support women entrepreneurs at the start of their business journeys – there are currently 41 participants enrolled, with a view to increasing this to 150 over the next three years. Its GAIRM graduate programme, in partnership with ATU, is a new two-year management placement programme culminating in a level 9 postgraduate Diploma in Business.
Tourism and Culture
The promotion of tourism in Gaeltacht areas is a key focus area for Údarás. In 2024 there was significant investment in visitor centres and cultural facilities such as €2.41 million approved for the Árainn visitor centre and a new emigrant experience centre being developed in Carna, as well as a partnership with the Great Lighthouses of Ireland for sustainable coastal tourism.
CEO of Údarás na Gaeltachta Tomás Ó Síocháin said:
“We are delighted to share these strong results from Údarás na Gaeltachta’s most successful year to date. This statement shows the reach of the innovation and investment across not just Gaeltacht regions, but across Ireland. In 2025, we will continue to build on this growth so the companies that Údarás support continue to strive.
“I am keenly aware that we present this statement shortly after the destruction from Storm Éowyn, the impacts of which are still being felt in many areas across the country. This shows the need for stability of services in the Gaeltacht regions, as well as investment and security for infrastructure to ensure that businesses are protected and can continue to do business when extreme weather events take place.”
Siobhán Ní Ghadhra, Chair of the Board of Údarás na Gaeltachta, said:
“I am delighted to acknowledge the strong performance with this end-of-year report, the continued success of our client companies is not only highlighted by the performances recorded in 2024, but also by their continued growth and expansion with a total of 198 vacancies recorded at years’ end. These results are a testament to the dedication and hard work of everyone involved.
“While we celebrate this progress, we also recognise the challenges ahead. We are committed to securing a prosperous future for our Gaeltachtaí, supporting the local economy, and ensuring that we continue to nurture and preserve the language that is vital in sustaining viable Gaeltacht communities.”