Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Guidelines were originally due to be completed by the end of 2021, then in 2022, and now we are coming into 2023. Tuairisc.ie and the Irish-language committee, chaired by Deputy Ó Snodaigh, has covered this. We produced a report and made specific recommendations. It has been raised by every delegation that has come before our committee and when we have travelled the country. I am utterly confused at this stage. We will have section 28 planning guidelines for the Gaeltacht areas and guidelines for rural areas. Are they the same guidelines or all contained in the same grouping? We are waiting for a policy from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media before we get the guidelines. We have a grúpa oibre, a working group, which I welcome, but I am not sure what it is working on. I mean no disrespect to the people on the group. We seem to be in a bubble of some sort.

Words would be helpful in addition to the signs the Minister is currently making. I appreciate that they are positive. Words to explain the confusion would be even more helpful.

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