Paddy Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Much has been said recently about the revival of the Irish language. We should start with planning guidelines with regard to Gaeltacht areas. Planning guidelines should be weighted in favour of people living in Gaeltacht areas, whether they are from the area or from outside and want to move into the Gaeltacht areas.

The language is dying in some areas and this could be a way to revive it to keep people in those areas. In the Gaeltacht area in Tuar Mhic Éadaigh, for instance, there were seven or eight national schools at one stage and it has only one national school, or two at most, in that whole area now. There is a good secondary school in it as well.

To get people into those areas, however, planning guidelines do not favour Gaeltacht areas. The do not favour rural areas or people building a house in a rural area. The Minister should look at the planning guidelines, particularly for Gaeltacht areas. It should be weighted in favour of people who are living and raising families in those areas. We need a debate in the House in that regard. There are several Gaeltacht areas in the same position as that in Tuar Mhic Éadaigh in County Mayo. I hope we will at some stage have a debate in the House in that regard.