Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate that every area will have an economic development but the point is that for the Gaeltacht areas to thrive, the economic development plan for the whole local authority area will need to take into account the needs of that Gaeltacht community in respect of protection of the language and linguistical cultural heritage. That is not arguing for a piecemeal approach or anything like that but it is arguing to make sure that the economic development plan for the overall area incorporates that specific aim into the plan. Without this amendment being adopted, that partial focus of the economic development plan for the wider area in terms of the language will not be there along with the other focuses in the economic development plan. In those situations, the survival and ability to thrive of the Gaeltacht communities could be overlooked in a wider economic development plan. You could be looking at an economic development plan and if you are not looking at the implications for the language and for Gaeltacht communities, you could be looking different priorities and not considering the needs of a particular area. Without that economic development there, the community could be undermined. That is why this amendment is needed.