Johnny Guirke (Meath West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The restoration of elections to Údarás na Gaeltachta is a milestone that Sinn Féin has championed for years. It is a demand that has finally been acknowledged, albeit with substantial shortcomings. While we welcome the Government's commitment to reintroduce elections, we must examine the proposed legislation's failures and its implications for Gaeltacht regions, such as Ráth Chairn, in my constituency of Meath West. It is absurd that we are still awaiting the Gaeltacht planning guidelines promised in 2021. The Irish language and Gaeltacht often fall to the bottom of the Government's agenda, with housing policies severely impacting these areas.

It is increasingly difficult for the Gaeltacht community, especially young people, to obtain planning permission to settle in their own areas. Údarás na Gaeltachta needs to be given clear housing functions in the upcoming amendment Bill, allowing it to manage housing projects for Irish speakers. Additionally, the draft planning guidelines for the Gaeltacht should be published immediately and the Planning and Development Bill 2023 should be strengthened to support the Gaeltacht.

Direct elections to Údarás na Gaeltachta ensured that communities like Ráth Chairn had a genuine voice in their development. However, the last of these democratic elections took place in 2005. Since the Gaeltacht Act 2012, when Fine Gael scrapped the elections, the power has been by ministerial appointment. This strips away the the democratic foundation of Údarás na Gaeltachta, leaving our communities voiceless.

The 2018 Sinn Féin Bill aimed to restore this democratic process. We proposed a robust structure with a 16-member board, comprising ten elected and six appointed members, ensuring representation from every Gaeltacht county. The Government's proposal falls short of this.

Of the 22 recommendations made by the joint committee on the Irish language, Gaeltacht and Irish-speaking community, 18 critical recommendations were ignored. One of the most glaring issues is the lack of representation for smaller Gaeltacht areas such as Ráth Chairn which deserves more than just a token seat. Our proposal, by contrast, would have provided two seats for Meath, ensuring that the people of Ráth Chairn and Baile Ghib are heard and their communities' interests are protected.

The recommendations for an entirely elected board, which would also elect its own chairperson, has been disregarded in favour of continued ministerial appointments. This undermines the principle of local self-governance that Údarás na Gaeltachta was founded upon. In Ráth Chairn, as in the rest of the Gaeltacht regions, the voice of the community must be central. Sinn Féin's proposals would have guaranteed this through dedicated representation and robust democratic structure. Ráth Chairn has grown to a small village, embracing a community centre, a clubhouse, a second level college and a number of thriving businesses. The close-knit community is dedicated to preserving and promoting Irish traditions. The people of Ráth Chairn are a welcoming community. It is surrounded by English speakers and yet it manages to survive. We need to do as much as we can to help it not only to survive but to thrive.

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