There's been a decline of more than 50% in the number of families willing to host students for summer courses in Waterford's Gaeltacht.
That's according to the Stiúrthóir of Coláiste na Rinne, Criostóir Ó Faoláin.
The college is among those that will feature in a TG4 special tonight on the decline in host families.
Red tape and Covid
"Our high point a number of years ago," Mr Ó Faoláin told WLR News, "would have been 22 host families working with the Coláiste here and that's down this year to ten.
"I think there are two main factors for ourselves, at least; Number 1, the increase in the whole bureaucracy end and the workload that is placed on host families in terms of the policies and practices that they need to adopt - fire regulations and so on.
"And the other thing, which is probably a bigger factor for ourselves, has been the break that came with Covid.
"There are a number of host families who were with us for years and when that break came, they looked at doing other things, they tried other things and they haven't come back to us."
According to new figures obtained by TG4's current affairs programme, Iniúchadh TG4, in the four years since 2018, the number of host families in Gaeltachts nationally has fallen from 712 to 495 - a decline of 217, or 30%.
The increasing age profile of "mná tí", changing social habits, a move out of the sector into self-catering, and insufficient pay for keeping students are among the other reasons cited by families.
Accommodation at capacity
Coláiste na Rinne can offer accommodation for up to 180 students, meaning it is not as badly effected as other Gaeltacht summer schools.
However, Mr Ó Faoláin says their accommodation is almost always at capacity.
"The on-campus accommodation is almost entirely full for the whole summer," he said, "On one or two of the later courses, towards the end of July/early August, there might be a few spaces left for some boys.
"But it's full for the full summer for girls and there was higher interest from girls this summer than there was from boys.
"And the decline that we've seen with the host families, means that there will probably be roughly 100 less students over the full summer than there would have been even last year."
The college in An Rinn recently invited any households interested in getting involved in the hosting of students for their courses to attend a meeting, however there were no replies.
However, Mr Ó Faoláin says they are still anxious to hear now from any local families who might be considering it as an option.
"In terms of the income, there are two elements to it; there is the portion of the course fee that relates to the accommodation that is paid to the host family; and as well as that, there's a grant from the Department of the Gaeltacht, which is set at €12 per student per night for the course.
"I will say that Coláiste na Rinne - because we're not as dependent on host families as other Gaeltacht areas might be - we are a little more generous in terms of what the host families get here.
"We would be quite a bit ahead of what host families might be able to get in other Gaeltacht areas."
Tonight's documentary, Mná Tí, will air on TG4 at 9.30pm.
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