Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I am all acutely aware of the housing supply issues across the country, and that Gaeltacht communities are no different in this regard. Access to affordable, appropriate housing is central to the future of the Irish language as a community language, but also to developing enterprise and creating employment in Gaeltacht areas.

Research commissioned by Údarás na Gaeltachta on this issue has provided insight into the scale and complexity of the housing challenges in Gaeltacht areas. The findings include:

• that the population in Gaeltacht areas is getting older – the number of residents under 18 is falling while those over 55 are increasing;
• that the percentage of empty houses in the Gaeltacht is higher than the national average – 11% versus 8%; and,
• that there are 5 times more holidays homes in Gaeltacht areas than the national average.

I have had the opportunity, along with my colleague Minister James Browne T.D, to meet with representatives from Gaeltacht housing groups, BÁNÚ and Tinteán, in order to hear their concerns first-hand.

I have also held meetings with Údáras na Gaeltachta to discuss the work of the organisation in terms of supporting enterprise and employment, but also regarding how increased housing supply would be an advantage to advancing the work of the organisation. In this context, a provision has been included in the Údarás na Gaeltachta (Amendment) Bill 2024, currently before the Houses, allowing An tÚdarás dispose of land from its property portfolio for the development of housing in the Gaeltacht.

In terms of supporting the provision of housing in Gaeltacht areas, I see An tÚdarás as having a secondary role in this regard. Responsibility falls to local authorities to implement responsive planning and development policies in Gaeltacht areas. Accordingly, I recently met with Local Government Management Agency members from areas with Gaeltacht regions in their jurisdictions and have urged them to integrate the specific needs of the Gaeltacht into County Development Plans.

In addition to the aforementioned, my officials are also actively engaging with their counterparts in the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage in order to assist that Department in developing a set of Planning Guidelines for the Gaeltacht.

In relation to depopulation in rural island and Gaeltacht areas, the Deputy will be aware that Our Rural Future is a whole-of-government policy for sustainable rural development in Ireland and seeks to ensure that all rural areas are attractive for people to live, work and raise their families in. In line with this, one of the high-level outcomes set out in the policy is for an increase in the number of people living in rural areas.

According to the OECD, rural remote regions in Ireland recorded the highest population growth of all OECD countries between 2001 and 2021 and CSO figures show a 7% increase in highly rural remote areas between 2011 and 2022. However within these figures there remain areas where population decline is a concern and I am committed to ensuring that my Department continues to deliver schemes and supports, such as the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund, the Town and Village Renewal Scheme, the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme and the CLÁR Programme (the latter having a specific focus on areas that have experienced depopulation), that maintain a clear focus on supporting the vibrancy and sustainability of rural areas. In addition, the 10-year strategy for the islands, Our Living Islands, seeks to ensure that sustainable, vibrant communities can continue to live - and thrive - on our offshore islands.