Michael Cahill (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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582. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will examine a list of proposed actions in respect of the Irish language and the Gaeltacht (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17003/25]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Ó tharla sonraí na ceiste bheith i nGaeilge, tabharfaidh mé an freagra i nGaeilge.

Tá an Rialtas seo tiomanta an Ghaeilge a chosaint agus a chur chun cinn ar fud an oileáin, agus tá gealltanais déanta againn ina leith sa Chlár Rialtais. Tá sé soiléir le ceapadh Aire Sinsearach Gaeltachta go bhfuil an rialtas tiomanta spriocanna an Chláir Rialtais a chur i bhfeidhm, borradh a chur faoin teanga mar theanga pobail agus tacú le pobal a labhartha ar fud na tíre.

Tá réimse leathan gealltanais i gClár an Rialtais maidir leis an nGaeilge, an Ghaeltacht agus oideachas lán Ghaeilge. San áireamh anseo, tá a leanas:

• leanfar le Scéim Aitheantais na Scoileanna Gaeltachta;
• tógfar ar chláir oiliúna trí Ghaeilge-amháin do mhúinteoirí;
• cuirfear tacaíocht ar fáil do naíonraí agus naíolanna ag cinntiú go bhfuil teacht ag pobal na Gaeltachta agus taobh amuigh di, ar an luath-oideachas;
• bunófar Gaelscoileanna agus Gaelcholáistí mar a bhfuil éileamh agus cuirfear tacaíocht ar fáil do thuismitheoirí a roghnaíonn an Ghaeilge mar mheán oideachais dá leanaí;
• tógfar ar an tréimhse sa Ghaeltacht do mhic léinn an tríú leibhéal le deis a thabhairt dóibh seal staidéir a dhéanamh i gceantar Gaeltachta;
• déanfar forbairt agus leathnú ar ceangail le hollscoileanna ar fud an domhain ina bhfuil an Ghaeilge á teagasc;
• leanfar le scoláireachtaí Gaeltachta a chur ar fáil, ag cinntiú nach gcuireann costas na gcúrsaí bac ar scoláirí ar mian leo freastal ar na cúrsaí; agus,
• leanfar agus más féidir tógfar ar thacaíochtaí do mhná tí na gcoláistí samhraidh.

Ar ndóigh, mar chuid den obair seo uile, leanfaidh an Roinn ag cur tacaíochtaí ar fáil d'eagraíochtaí cosúil le Foras na Gaeilge agus Údarás na Gaeltachta leis an nGaeilge a chur chun cinn agus a fhorbairt ar fud an oileáin agus leanfaidh muid ag obair leis an Roinn Oideachais mar a bhaineann le cur chun cinn na teanga sa réimse sin.

Cuireann an Roinn réimse leathann de thacaíochtaí ar fáil don Ghaeilge agus don Ghaeltacht. €107.33m atá i leithdháileadh 2025 don Ghaeltacht agus don Ghaeilge. Is ionann é sin agus méadú 6.7% ar leithdháileadh na bliana 2024 agus is léiriú é ar an rún daingean atá ag an Rialtas seo úsáid na teanga a neartú sna ceantair Ghaeltachta, chomh maith lena húsáid laethúil a mhéadú ar fud na hÉireann agus níos faide i gcéin.

Maidir leis a Straiteis 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge 2010 – 2030, rinneadh tagairt shonrach do léargais idirnáisiúnta i leith cúrsaí teangeolaíochta sa Straitéis, mar a bhaineann siad le mionteangacha ach go háirithe. Mar a luadh sa Straitéis, tá ról tábhachtach teangacha, ó thaobh léiriú agus tarchur oidhreachta agus cultúir, aitheanta i gCoinbhinsiún 2003 na Náisiún Aontaithe maidir le Caomhnú na hOidhreachta Cultúrtha Doláimhsithe. Chomh maith leis sin, d’fhorbair UNESCO creat oibre le beocht teanga a thomhas chun cuidiú le Rialtais agus le dreamanna eile ó thaobh polasaí a fhorbairt, agus riachtanais agus bearta cosanta cuí a aithint. Is iad seo a leanas na naoi gcritéar a sainaithníodh sa chreat sin:

• Seachadadh teanga idirghlúine;
• Dearcadh pobail i leith a teanga féin;
• Aistriú réimsí úsáide teanga;
• Dearcadh agus polasaithe teanga rialtais agus institiúide, stádas agus úsáid oifigiúil san áireamh;
• Cineál agus caighdeán doiciméadaithe;
• Freagairt ar réimsí agus meáin nua;
• Infhaighteacht ábhair oideachais agus litearthachta;
• Coibhneas cainteoirí sa daonra iomlán; agus,
• Líon glan cainteoirí.

Mar aon leis an Straitéis 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge 2010-2030, tá Plean Gníomhaíochta don Ghaeilge á riaradh ag mo Roinn a bhfuil úinéireacht tras-Rannach air. Foilsítear tuairiscí bliantúla maidir le cur i bhfeidhm an Phlean ina dtugtar léargas ar an méid atá déanta thar an tréimhse. Tá ceithre thuairisc foilsithe go dáta agus an cúigiú ceann le foilsiú go luath.

Is ar an Roinn Tithíochta, Rialtais Áitiúil agus Oidhreachta go príomha atá an fhreagracht as pleanáil agus tithíocht i gceantair Ghaeltachta.

Tá cainteanna ar siúl idir an Roinn sin agus mo Roinn-se maidir le pleanáil i gceantair Ghaeltachta agus tá grúpa oibre comhdhéanta den dá Roinn, Údarás na Gaeltachta agus údaráis áitiúla ábhartha bunaithe chun an cheist seo a scrúdú. Is é príomhsprioc an ghrúpa oibre seo a chinntiú go ndéantar pleanáil sna ceantair Ghaeltachta i gcomhthéacs sainriachtanais teanga na bpobal Gaeltachta.

Mar chuid den obair seo, tá an Roinn Tithíochta, Rialtais Áitiúil agus Oidhreachta ag dréachtú treoirlínte pleanála Gaeltachta faoi láthair ag teacht le gealltanas a tugadh sa Chlár Rialtas.

Tá Bille um Údarás na Gaeltachta (Leasú) 2024 ag Céim an Choiste i nDáil Éireann faoi láthair. Tá sé i gceist leis an mBille seo go dtabharfar cumhachtaí breise d’Údarás na Gaeltachta talamh a chur ar fáil chun críche tithíochta i limistéir Ghaeltachta.

I measc na mbeart eile atá á ndéanamh ag mo Roinn chun tacú leis an nGaeilge agus leis an nGaeltacht, tá cur i bhfeidhm iomlán agus rathúil Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla, rud atá ríthábhachtach chun an Ghaeilge a neadú i soláthar seirbhísí poiblí do chainteoirí Gaeilge agus do phobail Ghaeltachta.

Céim shuntasach chun cinn ina leith sin ab ea foilsiú an chéad Phlean Náisiúnta um Sheirbhísí Poiblí Gaeilge i mí Dheireadh Fómhair na bliana seo caite. Tá an plean mar thoradh ar dhlúthchomhoibriú ag leibhéal sinsearach idir na heagraíochtaí a bhfuil ionadaíocht acu ar an gCoiste Comhairleach reachtúil a bunaíodh faoin Acht, lena n-áirítear mo Roinn féin mar Chathaoirleach, chomh maith leis an Roinn Caiteachais Phoiblí, Sheachadadh PFN agus Athchóirithe, an Roinn Oideachais, an Roinn Coimirce Sóisialaí, Feidhmeannacht na Seirbhíse Sláinte agus Poistphoiblí, gan ach cuid acu a lua.

Tá sé i gceist go bhfeidhmeoidh an plean náisiúnta seo, atá bunaithe ar chúig mhórthéama straitéiseacha, mar threochlár do chomhlachtaí poiblí maidir le líon agus caighdeán na seirbhísí poiblí Gaeilge a chuirtear ar fáil a mhéadú agus a fheabhsú go córasach. Tabharfaidh sé conair chun cur le líon na mball foirne le hinniúlacht Ghaeilge chun soláthar na seirbhísí sin a éascú freisin, de réir sprioc earcaíochta an Achta go mbeidh ar a laghad 20% den fhoireann a earcófar chuig comhlachtaí poiblí inniúil i nGaeilge faoin 31 Nollaig 2030.

Tacófar leis an bplean náisiúnta seo le dhá phlean gníomhaíochta 3 bliana – an chéad cheann a chlúdóidh an tréimhse 2025-2027. Tá sé beartaithe an chéad phlean gníomhaíochta seo a chur faoi bhráid an Rialtais lena cheadú sna míonna amach romhainn.

Leagan Béarla

This Government is committed to protecting and promoting the Irish language across the island, commitments in this regard have been in the Programme for Government. The appointment of a senior Gaeltacht Minister is clear indication that the government is committed to implementing the goals of the Programme for Government, to promoting the language as a community language and to supporting its speaking communities across the country.

The Programme for Government contains a wide range of commitments in relation to the Irish language, the Gaeltacht and Irish language education. These include the following:

• the Gaeltacht School Recognition Scheme will be continued;
• Irish language training programmes for teachers will be expanded upon;
• support will be provided to naíonraí and naíolanna ensuring that the Gaeltacht community and beyond have access to early education;
• Gaelscoileanna and Gaelcholáistí will be established where there is demand and support will be provided to parents who choose Irish as the medium of education for their children;
• Increases in the length of Gaeltacht stays for third level students will be provided for to give them the opportunity to study in a Gaeltacht area;
• links will be developed and expanded with universities around the world where Irish is taught;
• Gaeltacht scholarships will continue to be provided, ensuring that the cost of the courses does not deter students who wish to attend the courses; and,
• supports for Mná Tí in the summer colleges will be continued and where possible built on.

Of course, as part of all this work, the Department will continue to provide support to organisations such as Foras na Gaeilge and Údarás na Gaeltachta to promote and develop the Irish language across the island and we will continue to work with the Department of Education as it relates to the promotion of the language in that area.

The Department provides a wide range of supports for the Irish language and the Gaeltacht. The 2025 allocation for the Gaeltacht and the Irish language is €107.33m. This represents an increase of 6.7% on the 2024 allocation and reflects this Government's determination to strengthen the use of the language in the Gaeltacht areas, as well as to increase its daily use throughout Ireland and beyond.

In relation to the 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010 – 2030, the Strategy made specific reference to international insights into linguistic matters, as they relate to minority languages in particular. As noted in the Strategy, the important role of languages ??in the expression and transmission of heritage and culture is recognised in the 2003 United Nations Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. UNESCO has also developed a framework for measuring language vitality to assist Governments and others in developing policy, and identifying appropriate protection needs and measures. The nine criteria identified in that framework are as follows:

• Intergenerational language transmission;
• Community attitudes towards their own language;
• Shifting areas of language use;
• Government and institutional language attitudes and policies, including official status and use;
• Type and quality of documentation;
• Response to new fields and media;
• Availability of educational and literacy materials;
• Proportion of speakers in the total population; and,
• Total number of speakers.

In addition to the 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030, the Department is administering an Action Plan for the Irish Language which has cross-Departmental ownership. Annual reports are published on the implementation of the Plan which provide an overview of what has been done over the period. Four reports have been published to date and a fifth is due to be published soon.

The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is primarily responsible for planning and housing in Gaeltacht areas. Discussions are ongoing between that Department and my Department regarding planning in Gaeltacht areas and a working group consisting of both Departments, Údarás na Gaeltachta and relevant local authorities has been established to examine this issue. The main aim of this working group is to ensure that planning in Gaeltacht areas is carried out in the context of the specific language needs of Gaeltacht communities.

As part of this work, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is currently drafting Gaeltacht planning guidelines in line with a commitment made in the Programme for Government.

The Údarás na Gaeltachta (Amendment) Bill 2024 is currently at Committee Stage in Dáil Éireann. This Bill seeks to give Údarás na Gaeltachta additional powers to make land available for housing purposes in Gaeltacht areas.

Other measures being taken by my Department to support the Irish language and the Gaeltacht include the full and successful implementation of the Official Languages Act, which is crucial to embedding the Irish language in the provision of public services to Irish speakers and Gaeltacht communities.

The publication of the first National Irish Language Public Services Plan in October last year was a significant step forward in this regard. The plan is the result of close collaboration at senior level between the organisations represented on the statutory Advisory Committee established under the Act, comprising my own Department as Chair, as well as the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, the Department of Education, the Department of Social Protection, the Health Service Executive and Publicjobs, to name but a few.

This national plan, based on five major strategic themes, is intended to act as a roadmap for public bodies to systematically increase and improve the number and quality of Irish language public services provided. It will also provide a pathway to increase the number of staff with Irish language competence to facilitate the provision of these services, in line with the Act’s recruitment target that at least 20% of staff recruited to public bodies will be competent in Irish by 31 December 2030.

This national plan will be supported by two 3-year action plans – the first covering the period 2025-2027. It is intended that this first action plan will be submitted to Government for approval in the coming months.