Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Bhíomar ag plé an tseachtain seo caite, ar feadh tréimhse fada an t-ábhar tábhachtach seo.

We debated this matter at length last week. I will reiterate a couple of commitments on this for the committee. I discussed these with Gaeltacht communities on Monday of this week, when I met them in Galway. I have given a commitment that priority area plans will be extended to Gaeltacht areas and islands. I know we are not discussing islands under this group, but some of our islands are obviously Gaeltachts as well and would come in under the development plan. That is a very important change because each ceantar Gaeltacht is different. We went through that at length last week so I will not rehash it. I gave specific examples. It also requires that there be community input. From talking to Bánú, for example, on Monday and to others, it is obvious that there are complexities within each Gaeltacht area. Deputy Ó Snodaigh mentioned some where the language has been under pressure and in decline, while it is stabilising in others. The reality is there are people living in the Gaeltacht who do not have Irish but whose families may, and whose children are being taught through Irish. In everything we do, we want to be able to support our language as a living language in the Gaeltacht and make sure we can reverse the trend in some areas by trying to assist.

Planning will not do all of that. One of the biggest issues in the Gaeltacht is water and wastewater treatment, and how we can ensure we roll out affordable housing. Again, I mentioned last week that we are looking at one scheme in particular in that regard. The priority area plans will be very important. I will include them in an amendment I will bring forward on Report Stage. There will also be an amendment relating to specific plans for our islands. If the definition of a settlement is taken, none of our islands would conform to that right now. That poses real difficulties. Even on the largest inhabited island, Inishmore, the village of Kilronan would not be currently judged as a settlement. That is why we need to have very specific plans for the islands that are in the legislation.

Cuirfidh mé síos na leasaithe faoin dá rud sin ar chéim na tuarascála. Táim cinnte go n-oibreoidh sé ar son daoine sa Ghaeltacht. Mar a dúirt mé cheana, do bhuail mé le bean óg agus daoine eile a bhí lán-sásta le mo thuairimí. Dúirt mé leo go mbeidh mé ag labhairt leis an gConradh agus le Banu nuair atá na leasaithe déanta agus mar dhréacht, roimh chéim na tuarascála. Beidh mé ag caint leatsa chomh maith a Theachta O’Snodaigh, toisc go mba mhaith liom go ligfidh na leasaithe sin do dhaoine sa Ghaeltacht dul chun cinn a dhéanamh ar chúrsaí pleanála freisin. I dtaca leis na treoirlínte, ach go háirithe na treoirlínte is tábhachtaí, the Gaeltacht planning guidelines, I intend to publish them in draft format for public consultation, so cuirimid os comhair an phobail mar thaispeántas iad timpeall nó roimh na Cásca, tá súil agam. Tá díomá orm nach bhfuil sé déanta go fóill, ach táim cinnte go mbeidh mé ábalta iad a chur os comhair an phobail timpeall na Cásca. Tiocfaidh mé go dtí an Choiste Gaeilge nuair atá an obair sin críochnaithe.

With all of that, and I very much take on board the sentiment that is included in the two amendments, we want to bring something forward that will actually work. What will work, and what I am very clear on, is specific special area plans for each Gaeltacht. It would mean, for argument's sake and using Contae na Gaillimhe as an example, that as part of its development plan process that each of the Gaeltacht areas within that county would have to have a plan for those areas. It is so we are not just trying to fit the unique nature of the Gaeltacht into an overall county development plan. For the first time, the Gaeltacht will be given a very specific focus that will mean the people themselves will have their input into that and it will form part of the development plan. That will go for all our Gaeltacht areas. We will then do the same for our islands.

I mentioned the week before last that I met representatives from Comhdháil Oileáin na hÉireann. They are very pleased with the proposals I suggested to them, which I will bring forward. It will be a big step forward in ensuring that people on our islands can live on our islands should they choose to do so, and should they conform to normal planning practice. Sin é an méid.