An investment of more than €300,000 in a new Education and Youth Centre for young people to be built in Inverin has been announced today.
Minister for the Gaeltacht Catherine Martin announced today that Údarás na Gaeltachta will receive a €314,280 grant for preparing and making an application for planning permission for the new centre.
The centre will be built on Údarás property in An Cnoc, which is used by Coláiste Lurgan and community groups.
When built, it will consist of a multi-purpose hall, classrooms, kitchen, offices as well as an outdoor play and parking space.
Assuming planning permission will be granted to Údarás na Gaeltachta, it is expected that the centre will be built by around autumn of 2025.
“I am delighted that this point has been reached in relation to the development of this Education and Youth Centre in the Cois Fharraige area,” Minister Catherine Martin said.
“Many thanks to everyone who worked diligently in partnership over recent years to reach consensus regarding the project, thereby facilitating the preparation of an application for planning permission.”
She added that the facilities in the new Education and Youth Centre will help with the goals of the Irish Language Plan for the area.
Chief Executive of Údarás na Gaeltachta Tomás Ó Síocháin added that they are pleased to have taken such a major step forward with this project, thanking Minister Martin and Minister of State Patrick O’Donovan, and all those involved with the process since 2020.
“We believe that this is a proposal that is vital for the future of the Irish language, not only in Cois Fharraige but nationally.”
“It was a long and complicated process to get us to this point, but we are fully confident that the Education and Youth Centre will be a national model, serving the youth of the Gaeltacht and the Irish speaking and learning community throughout the country.”
!Údarás will continue to work closely with the Department and the Cois Fharraige community to ensure that a centre is developed to the highest standard that will benefit future generations.”
It is expected that an application for permission will be ready to be submitted to Galway County Council by the summer of this year.
The centre will be owned and managed by Údarás, and will be an educational, youth, sports and community facility outside the summer period – when it will be used by Coláiste Lurgan as the main tenant.
Údarás will appoint a person in time when the centre is built to manage the centre on a daily basis as well as an advisory committee which will be made up of local interested parties.
