merrion street

The Government Chief Whip and Minister of State for the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Islands, Joe McHugh T.D., today (6^th August 2018) announced that the language plan for the Language Planning Area of North Mayo has been approved under the language planning process.  He also announced that an allocation worth up to €100,000 over a 12 month period will be available to the lead organisation, Gaeilge Iorrais, to begin the implementation of the North Mayo language plan and to employ a Language Planning Officer.

“By approving this plan and the annual allocation of €100,000,” said the Minister of State, “the lead organisation, Gaeilge Iorrais, can immediately commence, in consultation with the people of North Mayo, the  next phase of the language planning process and influence more than ever the status of the Irish language in the region.  I congratulate everyone who was involved in preparing the language plan.  Needless to say, both myself and my officials and officials from Údarás na Gaeltachta are looking forward to continuing working with the lead organisation to implement this plan and to place the Irish language on a sounder footing in Ceantar Iorrais.”

Note to editors

This is the ninth plan approved by the Minister of State under the language planning process.  The following are the other plans approved to date:

•  Cois Fharraige;
•  Gaoth Dobhair, Rann na Feirste, Anagaire & Loch an Iúir;
•  Cloch Chionaola, Gort an Choirce, An Fál Carrach & Machaire Rabhartaigh;
•  Na Déise,
•  Muscraí
•  Chiarraí Theas
•  Dúiche Sheoigheach & Tuar Mhic Éadaigh; agus,
•  Ciarraí Thiar

Four other plans have been submitted to the Department and are currently being evaluated.  The Department expects that up to 15 plans will be approved under the process by the end of the year.

Gaeltacht Service Towns and Irish Language Networks

The preparation of the Gaeltacht Service Towns plans is continuing in respect of Letterkenny, Daingean Uí Chúis and the Cities of Galway and Cork. It is hoped that in the current year the preparation of plans for Dungarvan, Tralee, Clifden and Castlebar will have begun.  The preparation of plans continues in respect of the Irish Language Networks in Ennis, Loughrea and Clondalkin.

Funding

The Minister of State announced recently that funding of €1.7 million has been made available to Údarás na Gaeltachta and Foras na Gaeilge to promote the process in the current year.  This funding will be used to support the preparation and implementation of language plans and for the appointment of Language Planning Officers in regions for which language plans have been approved.  The first Language Planning Officer was recently approved in the Donegal Gaeltacht.

The above initiative has been approved in accordance with Actions 2.1, agus 2.3 of the Action Plan for the Irish Language 2018-2022. Additional information regarding the Action Plan and the language planning process can be obtained on the Department’s website at www.chg.gov.ie.