Written answers
Wednesday, 25 May 2011
Department of An Taoiseach
Irish Language
8:00 pm
Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 86: To ask the Taoiseach the estimated number of additional Irish speakers located in Gaeltacht areas, by location, between the 1996 and 2006 census; the numbers of additional persons who are Irish speakers, by location, outside the Gaeltacht areas; the reason for the growth or decline in numbers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12957/11]
Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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The information requested by the Deputy is contained in the following table taken from the results of the 1996 and 2006 censuses. Changes in the number of persons with an ability to speak the Irish language may be due to changes in the underlying populations as well as factors influencing Irish language attainment.
| Persons aged 3 years and over in each County and City within the Gaeltacht# area and outside the Gaeltacht area by ability to speak Irish. | |||||||
| Census 1996 | Census 2006 | ||||||
| Total | Within the Gaeltacht Area | Outside the Gaeltacht Area | Total | Within the Gaeltacht Area | Outside the Gaeltacht Area | ||
| Leinster | Total | 1,845,399 | 1,346 | 1,844,053 | 2,194,351 | 1,603 | 2,192,748 |
| Irish speakers | 689,703 | 773 | 688,930 | 823,555 | 976 | 822,579 | |
| Carlow | Total | 40,010 | - | 40,010 | 48,067 | - | 48,067 |
| Irish speakers | 16,115 | - | 16,115 | 18,547 | - | 18,547 | |
| Dublin | Total | 1,015,290 | - | 1,015,290 | 1,139,427 | - | 1,139,427 |
| Irish speakers | 364,068 | - | 364,068 | 410,669 | - | 410,669 | |
| of which Dublin Co. Borough/City | Total | 464,470 | - | 464,470 | 490,133 | - | 490,133 |
| Irish speakers | 148,865 | - | 148,865 | 158,762 | - | 158,762 | |
| Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown | Total | 182,660 | - | 182,660 | 187,173 | - | 187,173 |
| Irish speakers | 73,409 | - | 73,409 | 79,251 | - | 79,251 | |
| Fingal | Total | 159,574 | - | 159,574 | 227,012 | - | 227,012 |
| Irish speakers | 64,415 | - | 64,415 | 86,800 | - | 86,800 | |
| South Dublin | Total | 208,586 | - | 208,586 | 235,109 | - | 235,109 |
| Irish speakers | 77,379 | - | 77,379 | 85,856 | - | 85,856 | |
| Kildare | Total | 128,788 | - | 128,788 | 176,747 | - | 176,747 |
| Irish speakers | 54,313 | - | 54,313 | 73,373 | - | 73,373 | |
| Kilkenny | Total | 72,325 | - | 72,325 | 83,786 | - | 83,786 |
| Irish speakers | 30,472 | - | 30,472 | 35,669 | - | 35,669 | |
| Laoighis | Total | 50,723 | - | 50,723 | 63,758 | - | 63,758 |
| Irish speakers | 21,879 | - | 21,879 | 26,311 | - | 26,311 | |
| Longford | Total | 28,981 | - | 28,981 | 32,881 | - | 32,881 |
| Irish speakers | 12,012 | - | 12,012 | 13,158 | - | 13,158 | |
| Louth | Total | 88,340 | - | 88,340 | 105,988 | - | 105,988 |
| Irish speakers | 30,944 | - | 30,944 | 37,933 | - | 37,933 | |
| Meath | Total | 105,256 | 1346 | 103,910 | 154,252 | 1603 | 152,649 |
| Irish speakers | 41,480 | 773 | 40,707 | 60,685 | 976 | 59,709 | |
| Offaly | Total | 56,639 | - | 56,639 | 67,615 | - | 67,615 |
| Irish speakers | 22,454 | - | 22,454 | 25,691 | - | 25,691 | |
| Westmeath | Total | 60,646 | - | 60,646 | 75,750 | - | 75,750 |
| Irish speakers | 25,423 | - | 25,423 | 30,636 | - | 30,636 | |
| Wexford | Total | 100,131 | - | 100,131 | 125,722 | - | 125,722 |
| Irish speakers | 35,904 | - | 35,904 | 46,149 | - | 46,149 | |
| Wicklow | Total | 98,270 | - | 98,270 | 120,358 | - | 120,358 |
| Irish speakers | 34,639 | - | 34,639 | 44,734 | - | 44,734 | |
| Munster | Total | 992,745 | 12,602 | 980,143 | 1,124,568 | 13,675 | 1,110,893 |
| Irish speakers | 451,129 | 9,999 | 441,130 | 510,005 | 10,272 | 499,733 | |
| Clare | Total | 90,111 | - | 90,111 | 106,043 | - | 106,043 |
| Irish speakers | 43,685 | - | 43,685 | 50,287 | - | 50,287 | |
| Cork | Total | 403,674 | 3,451 | 400,223 | 461,046 | 3,660 | 457,386 |
| Irish speakers | 179,949 | 2,756 | 177,193 | 209,950 | 2,860 | 207,090 | |
| of which Cork Co. Borough/City | Total | 122,665 | - | 122,665 | 116,001 | - | 116,001 |
| Irish speakers | 52,236 | - | 52,236 | 48,082 | - | 48,082 | |
| Cork County | Total | 281,009 | 3,451 | 277,558 | 345,045 | 3,660 | 341,385 |
| Irish speakers | 127,713 | 2,756 | 124,957 | 161,868 | 2,860 | 159,008 | |
| Kerry County | Total | 121,405 | 7,857 | 113,548 | 134,584 | 8,446 | 126,138 |
| Irish speakers | 57,204 | 6,132 | 51,072 | 61,685 | 6,170 | 55,515 | |
| Limerick | Total | 158,523 | - | 158,523 | 176,689 | - | 176,689 |
| Irish speakers | 73,568 | - | 73,568 | 80,031 | - | 80,031 | |
| of which Limerick Co. Borough/City | Total | 49,933 | - | 49,933 | 50,609 | - | 50,609 |
| Irish speakers | 20,642 | - | 20,642 | 19,711 | - | 19,711 | |
| Limerick County | Total | 108,590 | - | 108,590 | 126,080 | - | 126,080 |
| Irish speakers | 52,926 | - | 52,926 | 60,320 | - | 60,320 | |
| North Tipperary | Total | 55,741 | - | 55,741 | 63,215 | - | 63,215 |
| Irish speakers | 27,085 | - | 27,085 | 29,750 | - | 29,750 | |
| South Tipperary | Total | 72,436 | - | 72,436 | 79,712 | - | 79,712 |
| Irish speakers | 30,253 | - | 30,253 | 33,769 | - | 33,769 | |
| Waterford | Total | 90,855 | 1,294 | 89,561 | 103,279 | 1,569 | 101,710 |
| Irish speakers | 39,385 | 1,111 | 38,274 | 44,533 | 1,242 | 43,291 | |
| of which Waterford Co. Borough/City | Total | 40,734 | - | 40,734 | 43,835 | - | 43,835 |
| Irish speakers | 15,977 | - | 15,977 | 17,031 | - | 17,031 | |
| Waterford County | Total | 50,121 | 1,294 | 48,827 | 59,444 | 1,569 | 57,875 |
| Irish speakers | 23,408 | 1,111 | 22,297 | 27,502 | 1,242 | 26,260 | |
| Connacht | Total | 417,004 | 45,524 | 371,480 | 483,360 | 53,707 | 429,653 |
| Irish speakers | 201,195 | 32,475 | 168,720 | 224,953 | 36,108 | 188,845 | |
| Galway | Total | 181,559 | 34,400 | 147,159 | 221,800 | 43,184 | 178,616 |
| Irish speakers | 93,745 | 24,994 | 68,751 | 108,124 | 29,255 | 78,869 | |
| of which Galway Co. Borough/City | Total | 54,988 | 9,275 | 45,713 | 69,786 | 13,737 | 56,049 |
| Irish speakers | 27,350 | 5,079 | 22,271 | 31,153 | 6,878 | 24,275 | |
| Galway County | Total | 126,571 | 25,125 | 101,446 | 152,014 | 29,447 | 122,567 |
| Irish speakers | 66,395 | 19,915 | 46,480 | 76,971 | 22,377 | 54,594 | |
| Leitrim | Total | 24,201 | - | 24,201 | 27,766 | - | 27,766 |
| Irish speakers | 10,459 | - | 10,459 | 11,758 | - | 11,758 | |
| Mayo County | Total | 107,383 | 11,124 | 96,259 | 118,833 | 10,523 | 108,310 |
| Irish speakers | 51,016 | 7,481 | 43,535 | 55,010 | 6,853 | 48,157 | |
| Roscommon | Total | 50,124 | - | 50,124 | 56,400 | - | 56,400 |
| Irish speakers | 22,695 | - | 22,695 | 24,934 | - | 24,934 | |
| Sligo | Total | 53,737 | - | 53,737 | 58,561 | - | 58,561 |
| Irish speakers | 23,280 | - | 23,280 | 25,127 | - | 25,127 | |
| Ulster (part of) | Total | 224,500 | 23,243 | 201,257 | 255,367 | 22,877 | 232,490 |
| Irish speakers | 88,178 | 17,788 | 70,390 | 98,277 | 16,909 | 81,368 | |
| Cavan | Total | 50,775 | - | 50,775 | 61,144 | - | 61,144 |
| Irish speakers | 19,037 | - | 19,037 | 22,636 | - | 22,636 | |
| Donegal | Total | 124,534 | 23,243 | 101,291 | 140,559 | 22,877 | 117,682 |
| Irish speakers | 49,551 | 17,788 | 31,763 | 54,813 | 16,909 | 37,904 | |
| Monaghan | Total | 49,191 | - | 49,191 | 53,664 | - | 53,664 |
| Irish speakers | 19,590 | - | 19,590 | 20,828 | - | 20,828 | |
| All Gaeltacht Areas | Total | 971,267 | 82,715 | 888,552 | 1,174,517 | 91,862 | 1,082,655 |
| Irish speakers | 444,117 | 61,035 | 383,082 | 529,687 | 64,265 | 465,422 | |
| State | Total | 3,479,648 | 82,715 | 3,396,933 | 4,057,646 | 91,862 | 3,965,784 |
| Irish speakers | 1,430,205 | 61,035 | 1,369,170 | 1,656,790 | 64,265 | 1,592,525 | |
| # As defined by the Galetacht Areas Orders, 1956-1982 | |||||||
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