The Social Democrats today announced a five-point plan to increase the supply of affordable housing in Gaeltacht areas.
The Gaeltacht Housing Plan was launched in An Spidéal by Galway West by-election candidate Míde Nic Fhionnlaoich and the party’s housing spokesperson Rory Hearne TD.
Speaking at the launch of the plan, Mide Nic Fhionnlaoich said:
“The lack of affordable housing poses an existential threat to Gaeltacht communities and the Irish language.
“We cannot accept the erosion of the Gaeltacht and must ensure that the next generation can get a house and make a life for themselves here.
“Our plan ensures that’s possible – but we need the political will in Leinster House to make it happen.”
Rory Hearne TD said:
“Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have failed to ensure the survival of our language due to their inability to deliver affordable homes for younger people who are native Irish speakers and want to remain living in the Gaeltacht communities they grew up in.
“We need Údarás na Gaeltachta to have a direct role in delivering affordable housing. The State has a responsibility to protect our language and Gaeltacht communities.
“As part of the solution, we also need to clamp down on short-term lets and ensure that these properties are used as homes, and not just assets.”
The Social Democrats’ plan would see the creation of a national housing, planning and development strategy for the Gaeltachtaí. Gaeltacht planning guidelines would be developed around the statutory duty of local authorities on the preservation of Irish as a community language.
A Population and Housing Strategy would be published for each Gaeltacht Planning Area to ensure the sustainable growth of Irish-speaking areas.
Under the proposals, Údarás na Gaeltachta would be given clear housing functions, including the powers and funding to directly deliver homes. The agency would also be allowed to purchase land, as well as develop and sell serviced sites to Irish speakers.
Other elements of the plan include measures to tackle vacancy and dereliction in the Gaeltachtaí; restrictions on planning for short-term lets; the establishment of new Irish language housing cooperatives; the reinstatement of the Gaeltacht Housing Grants Scheme; and the use of new zoning regulations to designate properties in Irish speaking areas as being for primary residence use only.
May 11, 2026
Note: read our Gaeltacht Housing Plan in full here