Minister Catherine Martin TD officially launched TG4’s new Irish language tv channel for children and young people, Cúla4.
Speaking about the launch, Minister Martin said, “I am delighted to be in Galway today to launch the first ever dedicated Irish language children’s channel. The launch of a dedicated Irish language children’s channel gives TG4 the opportunity to better serve younger Irish audiences. I am very pleased to see the combination of child-focused news, educational and entertainment content in the schedule. I welcome the strategy to provide the content digitally which ensures that the content can be accessed on a multiplatform basis, and ensures Cula4 will be where children are. For non-native speakers, this brings the language out of the school environment and into their homes.”
The new station will air for 14 hours daily, from 6am until 8pm, seven days a week. Cúla4 will be supported online via the player, Cula4.com and the Cúla4 App, in recognition of the growing trend to non-linear viewing.
Content is aimed at 0-12 year-olds, and will include a children’s news service, entertainment content, Irish produced drama, and animation. A key aim of Cúla4 is to reflect the diverse backgrounds of children living in all parts of Ireland, but particularly in Gaeltacht and Irish speaking communities. Cúla4 will continue to provide Irish language for use in Primary schools.
Minister Martin, added, “I was delighted to secure €3.3m of exchequer funding in Budget 2023 to support the development and launch of Cúla4. The funding provides ongoing support and investment for our regional independent production companies, particularly those in the Gaeltacht areas, as they work closely with TG4 to provide quality Irish children’s content.”
