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Three more Language Plans approved under the Gaeltacht Act, 2012

The Chief Whip of the Government and Minister of State for the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Islands, Seán Kyne, announced that language plans in three Irish Language Planning Areas have been approved under the language planning process. Language plans for An Cheathrú Rua and Conamara Lár in the Galway Gaeltacht have now been approved, together with the language plan for Ráth Chairn & Baile Ghib in County Meath.

This is being done as part of the implementation of actions 2.1 and 2.3 of the Action Plan 2018-2022 for the Irish Language.

The Minister of State also announced that an annual allowance of up to €100,000 has been approved for An Cheathrú Rua and for Ráth Chairn & Baile Ghib. Up to €150,000 has been approved for Conamara Lár, which satisfies certain conditions for additional funding. This funding will enable the lead organisations in the three Language Planning Areas to implement their language plans and to employ a language planning officer for their area.

Two language planning officers have been employed under the process to date in language planning areas in Donegal and preparations are progressing in other language planning areas with a view to commencing the implementation of their plans. A recruitment process is currently under way in 4 other language planning areas.

With the approval of these plans, thirteen plans in total have now been approved under the process, which means that plans have been approved in respect of half of the 26 language planning areas to date. This indicates the significant progress that has been made under the language planning process since the approval of the first three plans in September 2017.

A provision of €2.65m was made available for the language planning process for the current year, €1.513m of which was approved for Údarás na Gaeltachta to prepare and implement language plans this year.

In the recent Budget, it was announced that the provision for the language planning process would be increased by €600,000 in 2019, which means that a total provision of €3.25m will be available for the process in 2019.

In addition to providing this funding for the preparation and implementation of the language plans and as a support for the process, this provision will enable the Department to make funding available for a range of measures at a central level to further support the process in the areas of early years, family, traditional arts and youth affairs.

Minister of State Kyne said:

Comharchumann Mhic Dara, Coiste Stiúrtha Pleanála Teanga Chonamara Láir and Comharchumann Ráth Chairn will now be able to begin the implementation of their language plans which will benefit the communities in the three language planning areas. These lead organisations, like the other language planning lead organisations who are currently at work, have done tremendous work to reach this point of the process. We wish them every success in the implementation of their language plans.