Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I want to comment on quite a few of my amendments in the grouping, particularly Nos. 322, 326, 332, 341 and 347. They relate to setting out obligations in the legislation to ensure Irish-language-speaking and Gaeltacht areas are considered and to the fore in making development plans. The amendments require insertions and many of them are self-explanatory. They provide that, where we are talking about developments, we are also talking about ensuring there are Irish-language facilities and that economic development does not negatively affect the viability of a Gaeltacht community. It is about safeguarding the use of Irish and the viability of language planning areas and Gaeltacht service towns and ensuring Irish language networks are accounted for in any strategy for sustainable development and regeneration.

Amendment No. 347 makes a clear distinction whereby a Gaeltacht area, Gaeltacht service town, or líonra should be considered essential to the place's economic performance.

Amendment No. 352 seeks to ensure that matters related to urban, co-ordinated or priority area plans identified in terms of economic development, employment and other opportunities will be considered specifically in terms of how they can protect the heritage of the Irish language areas, the Gaeltacht regions and the communities that live in them, and how they can be used to promote Irish in the community and support the relevant language statutory plans. This was one of the amendments or ideas promoted by Conradh na Gaeilge in its work on this Bill to ensure the heritage of Irish-language areas, along with other matters, would be to the fore in our considerations. It was front and centre heretofore. We are not saying we should not consider the environmental impact, the need for wastewater infrastructure and all of that; we are just saying we also need to reflect upon the needs of a specific community identifiable in law and living within an identifiable region.