Irish Language Initiatives


The Higher Education Authority (HEA promotes the use of the Irish language across Ireland’s higher education and research system. The Higher Education Authority Act 2022 highlights the role of the HEA in promoting the use of Irish in higher education

Working in partnership with government, higher education institutions (HEIs), and sectoral bodies, the HEA plays a key coordinating and funding role in a range of initiatives that strengthen Irish‑language provision, build capacity, and enhance the use of Irish within the sector. The HEA manages funding for initiatives such as, the Advanced Irish Language Skills, a programme to develop graduates with expertise for key professions, while the provision of funding for Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge ensures the continued growth of Irish-medium education and research, including in Gaeltacht regions.

The following initiatives are managed by Policy & Strategic Planning to deliver on policy priorities.

Gníomhaí Gaeilge

Since 2022, the HEA has funded Gníomhaí Gaeilge, a national initiative coordinated by Conradh na Gaeilge and Aontas na Mac Léinn in Éirinn (AMLÉ). The aim of this scheme is to promote the Irish language in third level institutions throughout the country by supporting student events, clubs and societies that operate through the medium of Irish.

Gníomhaí Gaeilge focuses on:

  • Developing Irish language skills among students involved in clubs and societies.
  • Providing mentorship and structured training to students in higher education to promote and develop opportunities to use the language within higher education.
  • Encouraging the daily use of Irish within higher education.

The initiative plays an important role in supporting student‑led activity and fostering Irish‑speaking communities on campus. For more information on the launch of this initiative, view the following news piece.

Mo Thráchtas i mBeagán Focal (5‑Minute Thesis Competition)

In November 2025, for the first time, the Higher Education Authority ran the Mo Thráchtas imBeagán Focal competition, which is a communication competition for postgraduate students. This competition is based on the My Thesis in 3 Minutes concept with students presenting their research through the Irish language.  Participating students have five minutes to present their research to a non‑specialist audience. The competition is open to postgraduate students from all disciplines across higher education in Ireland.

Key features include:

  • Delivery entirely through Irish
  • A strong focus on research communication skills

For more information on the inaugural event, see Mo Thráchtas i mBeagán Focal 2025.

National Research on Irish language provision in higher education

In the first quarter of 2026, The Higher Education Authority, through the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, granted research funding to the University of Galway to conduct national research on the Irish language at Third Level. This project will conduct research into the current provision of Irish language courses and courses through the medium of Irish in higher and further education. The research will also address the key objective of the Official Languages (Amendment) Act 2021 to ensure that at least 20% of public sector recruits will be proficient in Irish by the end of 2030. The research project at the University of Galway, which is expected to be completed by May 2027, is underway, with a postdoctoral researcher recruited to progress the research.

The findings of the research will inform future policy development and support the strategic advancement of Irish in higher education.

Further information

For more information on Irish language activities and initiatives funded by the HEA, email: policy@hea.ie

Tionscnaimh Ghaeilge


Cuireann an tÚdarás um Ard-Oideachas (ÚAO) úsáid na Gaeilge chun cinn tríd chóras ardoideachais agus taighde na hÉireann. Leagann Acht an Údaráis um Ard-Oideachas 2022 béim ar ról an ÚAO maidir le húsáid na Gaeilge a chur chun cinn san ardoideachas.

Ag obair i gcomhpháirtíocht leis an rialtas, le hinstitiúidí ardoideachais, agus comhlachtaí earnála, tá ról lárnach comhordaithe agus maoinithe ag an ÚAO i réimse tionscnamh a neartaíonn an soláthar teanga na Gaeilge, forbairt acmhainní, agus úsáid na Gaeilge a fheabhsú san earnáil. Bainistíonn an ÚAO maoiniú do thionscnaimh ar nós, an Tionscnamh Ardscileanna Gaeilge, clár chun céimithe a bhfuil saineolas acu ar phríomhghairmeacha a fhorbairt, agus maoiniú a sholáthar do Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge a chinntíonn fás leanúnach ar an oideachas agus ar an taighde lán-Ghaeilge, i gceantair Ghaeltachta san áireamh.

Déanann Beartas agus Pleanáil Straitéiseach na tionscnaimh seo a leanas a bhainistiú chun tosaíochtaí beartais a bhaint amach.

Gníomhaí Gaeilge

Ó 2022 i leith, tá an ÚAO ag maoiniú ‘Gníomhaí Gaeilge’, tionscnamh náisiúnta atá á chomhordú ag Conradh na Gaeilge agus Aontas na Mac Léinn in Éirinn (AMLÉ). Tá sé mar aidhm ag an scéim seo an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn in institiúidí tríú leibhéal ar fud na tíre trí thacú le hócáidí, clubanna agus cumainn mac léinn a oibríonn trí mheán na Gaeilge.

Díríonn ‘Gníomhaí Gaeilge’ ar:

  • Scileanna Gaeilge a fhorbairt i measc scoláirí a bhfuil baint acu le clubanna agus cumainn.
  • Meantóireacht agus oiliúint struchtúrtha a chur ar fáil do mhic léinn san ardoideachas chun deiseanna a chur chun cinn agus a fhorbairt chun an teanga a úsáid san ardoideachas.
  • Úsáid laethúil na Gaeilge a spreagadh san ardoideachas.

Tá ról tábhachtach ag an tionscnamh maidir le tacú le gníomhaíocht faoi stiúir na mac léinn agus chun pobail Ghaeilge a chothú ar an gcampas. Chun tuilleadh eolais a fháil faoi sheoladh an tionscnaimh seo, féach ar an leathnach Third-level students are being encouraged to become activists for the Irish language under a new scheme ‘Gníomhaí Gaeilge’.

Mo Thráchtas i mBeagán Focal (Comórtas Tráchtais 5 Nóiméad)

I mí na Samhna 2025, den chéad uair, reáchtáil an tÚdarás um Ard-Oideachas comórtas ‘Mo Thráchtas i mBeagán Focal’; comórtas cumarsáide do mhic léinn iarchéime. Tá an comórtas seo bunaithe ar an gcoincheap ‘My Thesis in 3 Minutes’ ina gcuireann mic léinn a gcuid taighde i láthair trí mheán na Gaeilge.  Tá cúig nóiméad ag mic léinn rannpháirteacha chun a gcuid taighde a chur i láthair lucht féachana neamhspeisialaithe. Tá an comórtas oscailte do mhic léinn iarchéime ó gach disciplín ar fud an ardoideachais in Éirinn.

I measc na bpríomhghnéithe tá:

  • Cur I láthair go hiomlán trí Ghaeilge
  • Fócas láidir ar scileanna cumarsáide taighde

Le haghaidh tuilleadh eolais ar an chéad ócáid, féach ar an leathnach Mo Thráchtas i mBeagán Focal 2025.

Taighde Náisiúnta ar sholáthar Gaeilge san ardoideachas

Sa chéad ráithe de 2026, bhronn an tÚdarás um Ard-Oideachas, tríd an Roinn Breisoideachais agus Ardoideachais, Taighde, Nuálaíochta agus Eolaíochta, maoiniú taighde ar Ollscoil na Gaillimhe chun taighde náisiúnta a dhéanamh ar an nGaeilge ag an Tríú Leibhéal. Déanfaidh an tionscadal seo taighde ar an soláthar reatha de chúrsaí Gaeilge agus cúrsaí trí mheán na Gaeilge san ardoideachas agus sa bhreisoideachas. Tabharfar aghaidh sa taighde freisin ar phríomhchuspóir Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla (Leasú) 2021 chun a chinntiú go mbeidh ar a laghad 20% d’earcaigh san earnáil phoiblí inniúil sa Ghaeilge faoi dheireadh 2030. Tá an tionscadal taighde in Ollscoil na Gaillimhe, a bhfuiltear ag súil go mbeidh sé críochnaithe faoi Bhealtaine 2027, ar siúl, agus earcaíodh taighdeoir iardhochtúireachta chun an taighde a chur chun cinn.

Cuirfidh torthaí an taighde bonn eolais faoi fhorbairt beartais amach anseo agus tacóidh siad le dul chun cinn straitéiseach na Gaeilge san ardoideachas.

Tuilleadh eolais

Chun tuilleadh eolais a fháil faoi ghníomhaíochtaí agus tionscnaimh Ghaeilge atá maoinithe ag an ÚAO – scríobh chuig: policy@hea.ie