Seachtain na Gaeilge must be used as an opportunity to focus on how we can keep the Irish language alive, and how we can support the communities that speak it, according to the Social Democrats’ Galway West by-election candidate M\u00edde Nic Fhionnlaoich.<\/p>\n
M\u00edde said:<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have much to be proud of when it comes to the Irish language, but we can\u2019t be blind to the crisis facing our Gaeltachta\u00ed.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe last two censuses have seen a reduction in daily speakers in the Gaeltacht. There isn’t a single county in Ireland with more than 10 per cent of students attending secondary school through Irish.<\/p>\n
\u201cSpiralling house prices are locking the Irish speaking community out of our Gaeltacht areas. Here in Conamara, people are unable to settle down and build a life for themselves in the Gaeltacht.<\/p>\n
“While we\u2019ve seen welcome investment in language planning, without addressing the housing crisis in the Gaeltacht, or ensuring public services and infrastructure are being delivered in these regions, we\u2019ll continue to only tinker around the edges of the issue.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we want the language to thrive, we need to see the Department of Housing finally issue guidance on planning in the Gaeltacht, which was initially promised in 2021, and put forward a real plan to address problems with housing in the region.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Department of Education must also commit to better supporting Irish medium education.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn addition, we want to see health services delivered in the community, and we need issues around sewerage and infrastructure resolved.<\/p>\n
\u201cMuintir na Gaeltachta can act as guardians of the language, but only if Irish-speaking communities are supported and able to thrive. There is no Irish language without the Gaeltacht. And there will be no Gaeltacht unless we see action and investment on housing, health, and infrastructure.\u201d<\/p>\n
March 9, 2026<\/em><\/p>\n Note:<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0Seachtain na Gaeilge, which is the world\u2019s largest Irish language festival, is now running until March 17. Irish language version of press release below.<\/p>\n <\/em> D\u00fairt M\u00edde:<\/p>\n “Ba ch\u00f3ir a bheith br\u00f3d\u00fail as an Ghaeilge, ach n\u00ed fheidir leis an mbr\u00f3d sin muid a dhalladh ar an ng\u00e9arch\u00e9im at\u00e1 roimh \u00e1r nGaeltachta\u00ed.<\/p>\n “Le dh\u00e1 daon\u00e1ireamh anuas, t\u00e1 laghd\u00fa tagtha le cainteoir\u00ed laeth\u00fala sa nGaeltacht. N\u00edl aon chontae in \u00c9irinn ina bhfuil n\u00edos m\u00f3 n\u00e1 10% de dhalta\u00ed iarbhunscoile ag f\u00e1il oideachas l\u00e1n Ghaeilge.<\/p>\n “T\u00e1 muintir na Gaeltachta glas\u00e1ilte amach \u00f3na gceantair fh\u00e9in ag an m\u00e9ad\u00fa at\u00e1 tagtha le costais\u00ed tith\u00edochta. Anseo i gConamara, n\u00edl daoine inann socr\u00fa s\u00edos agus saol a d\u00e9anamh d\u00f3ibh fh\u00e9in.<\/p>\n “C\u00e9 go bhfuil f\u00e1ilte roimh infheist\u00edocht i bplean\u00e1il teanga, n\u00edl muid chun an fhadhb a r\u00e9iteach gan dul i ngleic leis an ng\u00e9arch\u00e9im tith\u00edochta sa nGaeltacht, n\u00f3 cinnti\u00fa go bhfuil seirbh\u00eds\u00ed poibl\u00ed agus infreastrucht\u00far \u00e1 chuir ar f\u00e1il sna r\u00e9igi\u00fain seo<\/p>\n “M\u00e1s mian linn go mbeadh an teanga ag f\u00e1s, caithfidh an Roinn Tith\u00edochta treoir a fhoilsi\u00fa ar \u00e1r plean\u00e1il sa nGaeltacht ar dheireadh thiar thall, rud ar gealladh ar dt\u00fas i 2021, agus plean ceart a chuir i bhfeidhm chun dul i ngleic le na fadhbanna \u00f3 thaobh tith\u00edocht sa nGaeltacht. Caithfidh an Roinn Oideachais n\u00edos m\u00f3 taca\u00edocht a thabhairt don oideachas l\u00e1n-Ghaeilge. Teasta\u00edonn uainn go mbeidh seirbh\u00eds\u00ed sl\u00e1inte \u00e1 chur ar f\u00e1il sa bpobal, agus caithfear dul i ngleic le fadhbanna infreastrucht\u00far agus s\u00e9arachais sa nGaeltacht.<\/p>\n “N\u00ed f\u00e9idir le muintir na Gaeltachta an teanga a choinne\u00e1il beo muna bhfuil an rialtas s\u00e1sta tac\u00fa leo mar phobal. N\u00ed bheidh aon Ghaeilge againn gan an Ghaeltacht. Agus n\u00ed bheidh aon Ghaeltacht muna bhfuil muid ag gn\u00edomh\u00fa i leith c\u00farsa\u00ed tith\u00edochta, sl\u00e1inte, agus infreastrucht\u00far.”<\/em><\/p>\n 9\u00fa M\u00e1rta 2026<\/p>\n Nota: <\/strong>T\u00e1 Seachtain na Gaeilge, an f\u00e9ile Gaeilge is m\u00f3 sa domhain, ar si\u00fal anois go dt\u00ed an 17\u00fa M\u00e1rta<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Seachtain na Gaeilge must be used as an opportunity to focus on how we can keep the Irish language alive, and how we can support the communities that speak it, according to the Social Democrats’ Galway West by-election candidate M\u00edde Nic Fhionnlaoich. M\u00edde said: \u201cWe have much to be proud of when it comes to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":16419,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[730,12,806,802,819,803,7],"tags":[820],"class_list":["post-16469","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gaeltacht","category-galway","category-galway-west","category-galway-west-by-election","category-irish-language","category-mide-nic-fhionnlaoich","category-press-release","tag-seachtain-na-gaeilge"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
\n
\nCaithfear Seachtain na Gaeilge a \u00fas\u00e1id mar deis d\u00edri\u00fa ar c\u00e9n chaoi is f\u00e9idir an teanga a choinne\u00e1il beo, agus c\u00e9n chaoi an f\u00e9idir linn tac\u00fa le pobal na Gaeilge, dar le iarrth\u00f3ir na Daonlathaigh Sh\u00f3isialta sa bhfothoghch\u00e1n i nGaillimh Thiar, M\u00edde Nic Fhionnlaoich.<\/p>\n