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

To take the latter point on the B2 level, the Department of the Gaeltacht is the expert on competency in that area. It has made us aware that B2 level is what it is accepting but that may change. It has to come through. It goes back to what will have a practical impact, which is the planning regulations to be brought out specifically for the Gaeltacht areas. The most important thing is to get these new planning guidelines out as quickly as possible to give a level of consistency across all areas.

To go back to Deputy Ó Snodaigh, who read from the guidelines, that is provided for in the 2022 development planning guidelines but the consistency across local authorities he spoke about is not there. He made reference to certain local authorities that are doing it. I welcome that but our main focus is on bringing together our work with the Department of the Gaeltacht. That Department brings the competency as regards language. We need to get these planning guidelines out as quickly as possible. As I said earlier, we will look to bring forward amendments regarding priority area plans for Gaeltacht areas and islands. Such plans are addressed in section 69, which is on page 156 of the Bill.