Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Regarding Deputy Ó Snódaigh’s comments, I would like to see that item of correspondence. He made a valid point about a local authority area giving focus to specific Gaeltacht area. Individual local authorities can create local area plans. That provision is currently there. It is up to them to decide on that, but in many cases they do it on the basis of electoral areas. In some places, they use different criteria.

As we discussed yesterday, when this legislation comes in, local area plans will basically be succeeded by different types of plans. The way that will work is that any local authority will have an overarching development plan, but once a new development plan comes in, that existing local area plan will effectively cease. They can be replaced by three types of plans: a priority area plan, an urban area plan - which probably would not apply to Gaeltacht areas - and joint area plans that straddle two areas. That is already in the Development Plans guidelines, which were published in 2022. That covers that particular area. Once again, this is a matter of providing balance. The Deputy made reference to amendment No. 890, which is on language impact assessments. He made reference to the individual local authorities. Some local authorities are already proceeding in that area.

I will deal with Deputy O’Callaghan’s point. The Department with the responsibility for the Gaeltacht has accepted that B2 is the standard. That is what they recognise.

The structure is that we are working with that Department to bring forward specific planning guidelines for Gaeltacht areas. Incorporated in that will be language impact assessments. On Deputy O'Callaghan's point regarding the process, that is being actively considered. He referred to independent assessors, which is something that is being considered. The expertise on the language is within the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.

Deputy Ó Broin made reference to resourcing. The OPR has been established for only a relatively short period, since 2019. The Deputy made a point about the office bedding down.