Dara Calleary
Mayo · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“Agriculture is the backbone. We have all been in the Mansion House today, or everyone has said they were anyway. Energy security is key and crucial. Everybody wants energy security but nobody wants wind energy. We have to strike a balance and get a real discussion, but food security is most important.”
“While we have gaps there, we are addressing them. The Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, has announced the minor injury units, which will take the pressure off major hospitals and ensure services are available.”
“Recent figures from the CSO show that there is a 5.8% increase in the number of people living in rural areas between 2016 and 2022. In areas classified as highly rural and remote, the increase was 6.4%.”
“Enterprise Ireland is investing in Irish-owned, Irish-founded companies. Similarly, 59% of IDA investments were located outside the Dublin region. We will continue to work, looking at the progress we can make through the IDA, Enterprise Ireland and, as Senator O'Loughlin said, through supporting our local enterprise offices.”
“That is something we do daily and they are used where is necessary. The plan will be supported by ambitious, clear, practical and measurable actions. I have spoken to some of the funding programmes available within my Department.”
“Táim tar éis cuairt a thabhairt ar gach ceantar Gaeltachta chun plé fairsing a dhéanamh leis na pobail sin chun a fháil amach uathu féin cén cineál tacaíochta ar féidir a chur ar fáil dóibh chun cabhrú leo. Táim chun leanúint ar aghaidh leis an obair sin sa bhuiséad le teacht agus na buiséid eile.”
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“We are lucky to work with a super Department. I thank my officials who are here and right across the country. Most importantly, I thank the volunteers the length and breadth of our island who make things happen in rural communities. Without them, there would be no GAA, social groups, chambers of commerce or IFA and no life in rural Ireland.”
“While we have gaps there, we are addressing them. The Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, has announced the minor injury units, which will take the pressure off major hospitals and ensure services are available. Community healthcare networks, the use of technology and the national broadband plan in health are bringing digital health to our rural and island communities in a way that we could never have done before we had the national broadband structure. Mar fhocal scoir, léiríonn an fhianaise go bhfuil an leibhéal infheistíochta ann agus go bhfuil aird á tabhairt do thuath na hÉireann mar phríomhthosaíocht Rialtais. Mar Airí sa Roinn, déanfaidh mise agus an tAire Stáit, an Teachta Buttimer, gach iarracht chun a chinntiú go mbeidh tacaíocht ann chun freastal air. We are determined to drive this on and make improvements.”
“Agriculture is the backbone. We have all been in the Mansion House today, or everyone has said they were anyway. Energy security is key and crucial. Everybody wants energy security but nobody wants wind energy. We have to strike a balance and get a real discussion, but food security is most important. Ireland is the food security centre of Europe and we are going to use the Presidency to progress it. Our Rural Future will be republished in October. We are focusing on many areas in it. I thank all those who made submissions. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness made a formal submission on behalf of Sinn Féin. As we finalise that, I am certainly more than open to individual ideas from Senators. We will continue the record investment. The Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and I are absolutely focused. Many Senators have spoken about healthcare.”
“Enterprise Ireland is investing in Irish-owned, Irish-founded companies. Similarly, 59% of IDA investments were located outside the Dublin region. We will continue to work, looking at the progress we can make through the IDA, Enterprise Ireland and, as Senator O'Loughlin said, through supporting our local enterprise offices. Many Senators referred to Garda numbers. The Garda workforce is now at 18,276 compared to 15,900 ten years ago. The Garda is on trend for the first time to meet recruitment targets. In 2025, 800 new Garda trainees entered the Garda College and we know we can meet the target of 5,000 new trainees in the next five years. When we consider that 11,000 people sought to join An Garda Síochána, it means we will reach those targets, and then we can allocate gardaí to communities across rural Ireland.”
“With the draft planning guidelines published the Minister, Deputy James Browne, and the Minister of State, Deputy John Cummins, last week, it is now the first time since 2005 that we have planning regulations in place for rural Ireland. Tá sé mar aidhm ag an dréachtráiteas soiléireacht agus comhsheasmhacht níos fearr a thabhairt do bheartas tithíochta tuaithe i bpobail tuaithe agus i bpobail Ghaeltachta. Is é seo an chéad dréachtráiteas pleanála don Ghaeltacht riamh. It is the first time we have a planning statement for Gaeltacht communities. We have work to do and I look forward to adopting and finalising that work. Continuously investing in our rural economy is our major platform. Senator O'Loughlin highlighted that. In 2025, 69% of Enterprise Ireland job creation was located outside the Dublin region.”
“TFI Anseo is basically Local Link on demand and is working incredibly successfully. The connecting Ireland rural mobility programme is putting in important public transport infrastructure such as shelters and real-time signage to encourage people to use it. The roads network constantly needs investment. In 2026, €780 million has been allocated to the regional and local roads network. Senator Tully is absolutely right on the impact weather is having. We continue to invest in climate preparation. The kind of weather we are having now is in stark contrast to the showers and snow we will have in a few months' time. It is very difficult to invest in those kind of circumstances. Since 2020, over €150 million has gone into the local investment scheme. We are zeroing in on housing. Housing is the priority.”
“Two weeks ago, I was on Inishturk, one of the smallest islands in our country, which now has access to fibre broadband. That is really important, also in terms of building community resilience. Many Senators have referred to the improvements in rural transport through Our Rural Future. Yes, there is more work to be done, but there is actually a lot of work to be done to join up the improvements that have been made. Senator Tully is right. When we consider that over 8 million passenger journeys were recorded across Connecting Ireland services in 2025, that gives us a sense of the demand. The Minister for Transport, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, has provided funding for three smart demand transport services, in Killarney, the north east of Limerick city and on Achill.”
“One of the unsung heroes of my Department is the community services programme, CSP, which provides services to many of the voluntary organisations that have been referred to. The Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and I will be in a position to announce new entrants to the scheme for 2027 this autumn. I have already referred to the island funding. The biggest project in the history of our Department is the €35 million investment currently under way on Inis Oírr Pier i gContae na Gaillimhe. Tá sé sin tábhachtach do phobal agus do mhuintir Inis Oírr, atá ag fanacht ar chaladh nua le blianta. Tá sé tábhachtach don turasóireacht, do mhuintir an oileáin agus don sábháilteacht. We referred extensively to the national broadband plan.”
“The Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and I are committed to launching new builds programme so that people such as a community in Rylane can have the kind of advantages that are offered. I will speak to Rylane. I want to make a more general point. I visited many areas. I visit many voluntary groups and one of the strengths of rural Ireland is that it is driven by women across the country. The Rylane group, particularly Senator Lynch, comes to mind. We met a group in Limerick this time last year. It is local women driving rural projects forward. I compliment and thank them. Senator Tully also found that in Cavan earlier this year. It is important and really significant. Urban communities are being assisted as well, through SICAP, where core funding of €147 million has been allocated.”
“It provides the funding for the small-scale projects in some of our smallest rural areas that we have all spoken about. A total of €61 million is being allocated to projects under the current LEADER programme. A total of €20 million has been allocated to the outdoor reaction and infrastructure scheme, ORIS, which is currently open for applications. Since 2020, over 1,000 projects have been supported by €140 million of funding under the town and village renewal. The community centre investment fund closed on Monday at 3 p.m. To be clear, the initial tranche is €25,000, not €5,000, and it goes to €100,000. Individuals do not have to apply for the €100,000. We have record interest in this year's refurbishment programme.”
“Táim tar éis cuairt a thabhairt ar gach ceantar Gaeltachta chun plé fairsing a dhéanamh leis na pobail sin chun a fháil amach uathu féin cén cineál tacaíochta ar féidir a chur ar fáil dóibh chun cabhrú leo. Táim chun leanúint ar aghaidh leis an obair sin sa bhuiséad le teacht agus na buiséid eile. The rural development investment programme includes RRDF, which I have already referred to. The sixth call for category 1 applications remains open until later this month. We are engaging with local authorities around the country. Last month, I turned the sod on major works to the Ballintubber Abbey Visitor Centre, which has been allocated €6.4 million, and the Edenderry regeneration project in County Offaly, which received €15 million. The 2026 CLÁR programme, which is a €12 million investment, opened in March.”
“That is something we do daily and they are used where is necessary. The plan will be supported by ambitious, clear, practical and measurable actions. I have spoken to some of the funding programmes available within my Department. As has been referred to, we have secured €611 million in budget 2026, the highest ever allocation to the Department, which demonstrates my Government's commitment to investing in rural communities. Tá tiomantas láidir ann freisin, ní hamháin don tír ach do na hoileáin amach ón gcósta agus do phobal na Gaeltachta. Sin an fáth go bhfuil an méadú is mó le blianta anuas sa mhaoiniú don Ghaeltacht mar chuid den ardú suntasach sin de €611 milliún. Tá an t-airgead seo á úsáid chun an Ghaeilge agus cultúr Gaelach a chur chun cinn agus a chosaint ar fud oileán na hÉireann agus ar fud an domhain.”
“We also commissioned the OECD to do an independent review of rural policy in Ireland as part of the preparation of Our Rural Future. That demonstrates we are not precious and we are open to new ideas. That review was published in January of this year. It acknowledges the substantial progress that has been made in lreland, both under Our Rural Future and more broadly since the establishment of my Department in 2017 under the then Minister Michael Ring. Ireland is recognised as unique among OECD countries for its whole-of-government approach to rural development and for the high level of awareness and visibility given to rural need across Departments. It is my intention to continue that visibility and awareness. It is my job as Minister for rural affairs to put the studs on for rural Ireland.”
“As had already been acknowledged, we have done so with a public consultation which gather the views of well over 2,000 participants. We will share those views, as Senator Boyhan has proposed. The engagement was online and included a series of eight public and stakeholder events and a public written consultation. Most importantly, as has been referred to, it included a formal rural youth assembly, which we hosted last autumn, ensuring that young people from some of the most rural areas in the country had an input into the policy. Key themes that emerged included much of what has been discussed this evening, namely, supporting local economies and strengthening the resilience and sustainability of rural communities, villages and towns, to continue to promote balanced regional development.”
“In 2025 alone, the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and I allocated a spend of €53.8 million on RRDF; €30 million on LIS for non-public roads and laneways; €58 million on SICAP to support disadvantaged urban communities; €21.9 million on the town and village renewal scheme; €58 million on the community services programme, CSP; €16.8 million on the offshore islands for passenger and cargo transport and key infrastructure projects; breis is €12 milliún chun tacaíocht a thabhairt do chúrsaí Gaeltachta; agus breis is €11 milliún chun an Ghaeilge a úsáid sa tríú leibhéal. We are now working on a new version of Our Rural Future. I spent some of today in my lateral meetings with colleagues across government. We will publish it in the autumn.”
“Our flagship projects include the rural regeneration development fund, RRDF. This has delivered over €440 million to 164 major projects countrywide since 2020, bringing new life into previously dilapidated buildings and structures. Senators have referred to CLÁR. In that time, over 1,500 projects have been allocated funding of €65 million under the CLÁR programme, funding projects in areas of rural need. I have taken on board Senator Byrne's proposals around emergency first responders. I have seen at first hand the extraordinary work they do.”
“Employment continues to be strong in rural areas. Incomes are rising. As we all agree in this Chamber, rural Ireland has a much better overall quality of life. This is why the Our Rural Future policy takes a whole-of-government approach to rural development. Launched by the then Minister, Heather Humphreys, in 2021, the policy has delivered vital investment and supports to rural areas, strengthening local economies and improving quality of life for people across rural Ireland. Significant achievements, which are not acknowledged in the main motion and which is why we have tabled an amendment, include improvements in digital connectivity, referred to by Senator Scahill, and the development of a national network of over 400 remote working hubs and improvements in essential services in rural areas.”
“Recent figures from the CSO show that there is a 5.8% increase in the number of people living in rural areas between 2016 and 2022. In areas classified as highly rural and remote, the increase was 6.4%. These findings align with the analysis of the OECD, which in its recent independent review, quoted by Senator Boyhan, found that the rural and remote regions in Ireland recorded the highest population growth of all OECD countries between 2001 and 2021. That evidence does not support the claim that there is widespread rural depopulation. Of course, I acknowledge that there are significant variations within these statistics. There are areas that are facing particular challenges that we must and will support, but the Government recognises this, and supporting the sustainability of all rural areas remains a key priority.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis na Seanadóirí Collins agus Tully as an rún agus le gach Seanadóir atá tar éis labhairt anocht. Is príomhthosaíocht don Rialtas seo tacú le tuath na hÉireann, agus fáiltím roimh an deis labhairt i Seomra an tSeanaid faoi na ceisteanna tábhachtacha seo. Mar Aire, agus mar Rialtas, tá tiomantas agus uaillmhian againn do thuath na hÉireann agus muintir na tuaithe. Tá pobail tuaithe nasctha, acmhainneacha agus cuimsitheacha i gcroílár ár bhfíse don fhorbairt tuaithe. Gan tacaíocht agus infheistíocht leanúnach inár gceantair thuaithe, ní féidir linn an fhorbairt eacnamaíoch, shóisialta, chultúir agus chomhshaoil a bhaint amach a thacóidh le cáilíocht beatha gach saoránach. I welcome the chance to speak to this motion this evening.”
“When we look at the companion pass, which we extended last year, and spousal passes, over 2 million people are benefiting from the scheme. The scheme is meeting its objective of ensuing older people and people with disabilities can remain active and can travel. However, we will examine the processes again.”
“I thank the Senator. Technology is absolutely very much part of our lives but it does, as the Senator will always point out in debates, need guardrails. We have to protect the data of those who use our passes on both sides of the Border. That is important. While we have no objection, and I will ask my officials to examine all the options and bring the Senator's issue to the attention of the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, any changes will require cross-Border agreement, as well as integrated IT systems. Bearing in mind that there are 70 private operators on top of the public operators, this is not an easy task. However, the free travel scheme is now benefiting over 1.17 million people who have direct benefit to the pass.”
“My Department is, of course, available to help any free travel pass holder with their application for a senior smartpass, and I will look at promoting that service. As well as that, I will ask the officials to engage with my colleague, the Minister, Deputy O’Brien, around what else we can do to expand and make this service easier. I must also point out that through the shared island fund, the Government is making significant investment in travel infrastructure in Northern Ireland in road, rail, bus and public transport. We want to continue to do that. While the Senator raised a solid issue, the practicalities are immense. I am happy to examine how we can address those.”
“The Department has no objection to the Senator’s proposal, and I will ask my officials to work on examining options with the relevant Northern Ireland authorities to facilitate more seamless cross-Border travel. However, there are a number of practical issues that we also have to table. Removing the need for separate applications or additional travel passes would require agreement, as well as integrated IT systems that would be able to accept and identify when the various travel passes are used to ensure proper remuneration to those who provide the travel service. The various integrated ticketing systems that are used by transport providers are not funded by the Department of Social Protection, and the Department has no role in the provision or funding of such systems or instructing transport providers to invest in them.”
“This senior smartpass is compatible with electronic card readers used on Northern Ireland services. People from Northern Ireland can just present the senior smartpass to the operators in the free travel scheme here, and they will be issued with a ticket for travel. Under the arrangements, the Northern authorities pay for travel undertaken within Northern Ireland by senior smartpass holders resident here, and Department of Social Protection pays for travel undertaken here by senior smartpass holders resident in Northern Ireland. As the Senator said, a separate application is required to receive a senior smartpass. However, this is not an overly burdensome process.”
“It represents an agreement under which institutions in this State and in Northern Ireland recognise free travel arrangements for older people in each jurisdiction as equivalent arrangements. The all-Island free travel scheme became operational in April 2007. The scheme enables those aged 66 and over and resident in the Republic to travel free of charge on all bus and rail services in Northern Ireland. Likewise, seniors in Northern Ireland travel free of charge on bus, rail and ferry services participating in the free travel scheme in this State. As part of the agreement, the Northern Ireland authorities require that customers here wishing to avail of free travel in the North should do so using a senior smartpass as used for free travel by their Northern Ireland counterparts.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach agus leis an Seanadóir Keogan as an ábhar seo a ardú. There is not much that I disagree with the Senator on but, as she knows, there are considerable practicalities in much of this, which I will go through. The free travel scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services in this State for those eligible. These include road, rail and ferry services provided by companies such as Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann, as well as the Luas and additional services provided by over 70 private transport operators. The all-Ireland free travel scheme is a reciprocal agreement between the Department of Social Protection and the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Uachtarán as an reachtaíocht a shíniú agus gabhaim buíochas léi freisin as an obair a chur sí isteach sa Bhille nuair a bhí sí sa Teach seo.”
“Níl mórán ama tugtha do na céad céimeanna eile. Bhí muid dírithe ar an mBille a chur tríd an Oireachtas. Táimid chun é sin a scrúdú anois. Le haghaidh gach toghchán, tá cúram na dtoghchán faoi chúraim na Roinne Tithíochta, Rialtais Áitiúil agus Oidhreachta. Beidh na leasuithe le plé le hoifigigh na Roine sin leis na rudaí eile agus beidh na sonraí eile le haghaidh na dtoghchán á bplé ag leibhéal an Rialtais. Beidh mé ag cur an próiseas do na coistí réigiúnacha ar siúl chomh luath agus is féidir mar tá siad tábhachtach le haghaidh an údaráis taobh amuigh de na toghcháin. Tá sé tábhachtach go mbeidh siad ag obair agus go mbeidh na daoine bunaithe ar na coistí sin. Beidh mé sásta teacht ar ais chuig an Teachta tar éis bhriseadh an tsamhraidh chun sonraí eile a phlé faoin gcéad próiseas eile agus na céimeanna eile sa Bhille seo.”
“Foráiltear leis na leasuithe seo go gcuirfí tagairtí do thoghcháin Údarás na Gaeltachta san áireamh sna hachtanna seo. Coimeádfar ceist na dtoghchán faoi bhreith leanúnach agus déanfar cinneadh maidir leis an bhfráma ama dóibh in am trátha.”
“Chun nasc níos láidre a chinntiú idir an pobal agus obair an bhoird, foráiltear leis an Acht freisin go mbunóidh an t-údarás trí choiste réigiúnacha reachtúla atá cosúil leo siúd a bhí i bhfeidhm roimh 2012, ach a mbeidh sainchúram beagán difriúil orthu. Beidh comhaltaí ainmnithe ag údaráis áitiúla ar na coistí réigiúnacha seo agus ní mór do gach ball den údarás agus dá choistí réigiúnacha a bheith in ann leibhéal inniúlachta sa Ghaeilge a léiriú atá riachtanach chun a gcuid feidhmeanna a chomhlíonadh. Chun críche na dtoghchán do bhord Údarás na Gaeltachta, bhí gá roinnt leasuithe teicniúla a dhéanamh ar Acht Toghcháin, 1992; an Acht Toghcháin, 1997; an Acht um Thruailliú ó Bhruscar, 1997; agus an Acht um Chosaint Sonraí, 2018.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta. Shínigh an tUachtarán Connolly an tAcht um Údarás na Gaeltachta (Leasú), 2026, ina dhlí ar an 1 Iúil 2026. Is é príomhchuspóir an Achta an próiseas ainmniúcháin agus roghnúcháin reatha a rialaíonn ceapachán bhord Údarás na Gaeltachta faoi Acht na Gaeltachta, 2012 a athrú agus próiseas toghcháin agus roghnúcháin nua a chur ina áit. Leis an leasú seo, comhlíonadh gealltanas a tugadh i gclár an Rialtais toghcháin do bhord Údarás na Gaeltachta a athbhunú. Nuair a chuirtear na hailt ábhartha den reachtaíocht leasaithe i bhfeidhm, beidh deichniúr comhalta tofa agus seisear comhalta arna n-ainmniú ag an Aire ar bhord an údaráis. Beidh ionadaíocht ag gach ceantar Gaeltachta ar an mbord, agus ní bheidh uainíocht comhaltaí do cheantair bheaga Ghaeltachta i bhfeidhm a thuilleadh.”
“I put on record my appreciation to all the community groups across Waterford - we had a super day of engagements - and to Waterford County and City Council, which is kind of the scaffolding around this, and to Waterford LEADER. There are a lot of really good groups there, including a lot of fantastic community groups. The Deputy is lucky to be in a county where volunteers are willing to stand up and take the leadership and the initiative that we saw right across the county that day. A lot of counties could look to Waterford and learn from that work but also the fact that it is all community-led and community-driven.”
“Absolutely. I am very much open to that. Along with the Ministers of State, Deputies Butler and Cummins, I had the pleasure of visiting the area mentioned by the Deputy back in June. I know that the Comeragh area has a super weekend in the Comeraghs Wild Festival. We were able, through ORIS, to make investments in the forests there. The project in Lismore is one of the best LEADER projects I have seen. I refer to what has happened at the back of the bank there, in terms of the glamping pods, and the plan for the bank. There are other alternatives apart from CLÁR. The community groups in the area the Deputy has mentioned are some of the best in the country.”
“Ardmore, Glenwilliam, Lismore rural and Tallow have all been added to the CLÁR programme within the Deputy's county, so I look forward to seeing the applications from Waterford later this year for projects in those areas. Over the course of the summer recess, we hope to be in a position to announce this year's mobility grants, but it is a really important programme. CLÁR used to be a transformative programme. It is transformative in a different way now, but in terms of its capacity for our rural economy I have a vision of getting back to that as well in terms of power etc.”
“Absolutely. The Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and I are working hard to ensure that CLÁR gets increased funding. As Deputy McGuinness knows, under 2025, Waterford received €572,000 for nine projects under measures 1 and 2. On the Deputy's comments about loneliness, that is why we have the mobility scheme and the transport scheme. It gives local organisations in rural areas that would not have the resources to invest in buses the chance to do that. I was with a group the other day involved with a bus that brings to hospital appointments, to mass and to social events people who otherwise, through illness etc., would be isolated in their homes.”
“We are reviewing the budget for CLÁR as part of the budget 2027 process. We are engaging with ministerial colleagues across the Department of public expenditure on this. I absolutely share the Deputy's interest in CLÁR. We have prioritised it in terms of a quadrupling of the funding since 2020, and I want to continue to increase that level of funding.”
“The 2025 programme for Government made a commitment to carry out a comprehensive review of all eligible CLÁR areas. Following this review, an additional 110 electoral divisions, EDs, have been designated as eligible under CLÁR. This means that there are now over 1,700 CLÁR EDs across the country. For the first time, the total population living in CLÁR-designated areas is over 1 million. The Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and I are acutely aware of the importance of this programme to some of our most rural areas. I was delighted to be in a position to bring more areas into the programme. To prepare the way for this expansion, I secured a €1 million increase in the budget for CLÁR in 2026 to bring the level available to €12 million. Funding for CLÁR has increased from €5 million in 2020 to its current allocation of €12 million.”
“I thank the Deputy for his question about CLÁR. As he knows, CLÁR provides funding under a number of different measures for small-scale infrastructural projects in designated rural areas. The programme is investing in community facilities and amenities, including community centres, MUGAs, playgrounds, walking tracks and sensory gardens. The scheme also funds vehicles for community groups providing vital services such as community first responders, meals on wheels groups, and transport for people with reduced mobility. There is also a measure providing targeted supports to our island communities. The Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and I launched the 2026 CLÁR programme in March and we expect to announce all successful projects before the end of the year.”
“Beimid in ann obair leis an gcoiste agus leis an Teachta Moynihan, agus, tar éis na hoibre sin, leis an Aire, an Teachta Browne. Tá suim agam obair orthu. Sin an tsuim is mó atá agam.”
“Scrúdaíomar na figiúirí. Tá na coinníollacha nua bunaithe ar census 2022, cé go bhfuil deacrachtaí ansin. Mar a dúradh an oíche a d'fhoilsíomar an dréachtráiteas, táim oscailte go feedback. Nuair atá fearg ann, oibrím leis an bhfearg nuair a thagann rudaí as an bhfearg sin. Táim sásta obair leis an Teachta. Mar a dúirt mé, tá oifigigh as mo Roinn, a chuir an-obair isteach leis na hoifigigh sa Roinn tithíochta, chun cruinniú a bheith acu le Conradh na Gaeilge roimh dheireadh na míosa seo. Bhí siad chun é a dhéanamh an tseachtain seo caite, ach ní raibh an conradh in ann é a dhéanamh. Táim sásta, mar a dúirt mé, suí síos le haon Teachta a bhfuil suim acu ní hamháin ráiteas a fhoilsiú ach obair air seo. Táim sásta é sin a dhéanamh agus obair leis an Aire, an Teachta Browne.”
“I am happy to work with Deputy McGuinness and Deputy Ó Snodaigh in particular and colleagues across the Gaeltacht side of it to address some of the Deputy’s feedback, although we will not incorporate it all. There is an environmental streaming process under way. I will share the information involved with that with the Deputy after this session.”
“I reject the Deputy's analysis of the draft plan on the Gaeltacht. We worked very closely with the Department of housing on it to try to get a balance. The important thing is to get a balance in Gaeltacht areas between those with Gaeilge, those who have Irish and use it as a daily language, and new people moving into it, but also those from a Gaeltacht area who do not have Irish, because they equally have a right to stay in their place. Second, I was anxious that we got a balance in terms of not allowing further holiday home development. I want permanent residences for families to grow, live and work through Irish and then drive the demand for Irish schools, Irish education, Irish cultural facilities and so on.”
“This method of using the percentage of speakers outside the education system plus 10%, as proposed, will be based on the current linguistic composition of the area rather than setting a uniform national figure across all Gaeltacht areas. This is about giving certainty both to people who wish to remain living in or return to their rural communities as well as planners while supporting a vibrant sustainable rural Ireland. There will be discussions with interested parties in the coming weeks. In that context, a meeting is scheduled between my officials and Conradh na Gaelige later in the month. I look forward to engaging with the Deputy and Deputy Ó Snodaigh in this space and we will engage very directly with the Minister, Deputy Browne, and the Minister of State, Deputy Cummins, on this over the coming months.”
“It introduces the idea of inter-Gaeltacht recognition, meaning Irish speakers who live and work in one Gaeltacht can use that experience and time to show they may meet local need requirements in another Gaeltacht. One of the key benefits will be the introduction of a new policy approach applied consistently across the country, providing more certainty for people wishing to build a new house in a rural area and the avoidance of prescriptive local policies that see different standards applied between neighbouring counties and, indeed, sometimes within a county. Currently, there is no consistent method for local planning authorities when developers are reserving a percentage of the housing development for Irish speakers.”
“I thank the Deputy for his ongoing work on this. It is not back-of-the-envelope stuff. His inputs and those of Deputy Ó Snodaigh are always considered. As he knows, the primary responsibility lies with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The draft statement is, in my view, one that strengthens the planning system’s support for the Irish language and Gaeltacht areas, making it clearer and more consistent by setting out the language criteria which may be submitted with applications for new single rural dwellings and requiring a proportion of multi-unit developments to be lived in by Irish speakers. Importantly, the policy also recognises that Gaeltacht communities share a specific culture, language and identity.”
“The projects will be 100% funded, with no local contribution required. It is our intention that, with increased resources, we will keep the scheme open for potential expansion. I know the area the Deputy mentioned. We have good engagement with the Northside Partnership, which does fantastic work and the Minister of State and I respect that work. We look forward to working with the Deputy in relation to that.”
“The Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and I were conscious that the scheme was only capital. We wanted to keep it very simple initially and get the projects rolled out. In terms of the current programme, in the 15 areas, there is a closing date of mid-August. It comes from the local authorities. We will make sure we get money quickly to local authorities. A regular complaint from local authorities in relation to our schemes is that it costs them money to implement them. A total of 5% of the budget will go toward each managing local authority to cater for the management of the project locally. The projects will be small. They could be local health and sports projects and initiatives. I have compared it in some places to CLÁR for these 15 urban areas. They are small, important local capital projects that otherwise would not happen.”
“Gaeilge365, which has extended from Dublin City Council to all four Dublin local authorities, is innovative. It is using things differently. It is using Gaeilge in a day-to-day fun way. Every local authority can learn from it.”
“Aontaím go mór leis an Teachta. Tá sé iontach an spreagadh chun na Gaeilge a fheiceáil. I spent three summers in Baile na hAbhann in Coláiste Uí Chadhain, so I know the Indreabhán area very well. Tá an Teachta fíor. Freisin tá sé bunaithe ar mhúinteoirí. It is based on teaching, our naíonraí and our Gaelscoileanna. That is why we need more Gaelcholáistí. I have a very strong view that we have to continue this journey through the education system. We are forever in this House kicking social media, but TikTok has a lot of stuff on the Gaeltacht. There are some fantastic podcasts, such as "How To Gael". Social media has actually turned out to be a good friend of an Ghaeilge agus an Ghaeltacht. Tá sé sin tábhachtach. Sin an fáth a bhfuil cúrsaí cosúil le Gaeilge365 chomh tábhachtach.”
“The areas were selected using an evidence base which included the Pobal HP deprivation index, information from the CSO report, Urban and Rural Life in Ireland, and research by the ESRI. We also looked at the areas in Ireland already covered by the CLÁR programme to ensure geographical complementarity. Capital funding of €31.5 million has been secured by the Minister, Deputy Buttimer, and me up to 2030. We announced an allocation of €5 million for 2026 and I plan to increase that amount over time, with annual funding expected to reach €7 million by 2030. The Department will keep SÍOL under review, with a view to potentially adding additional areas on an annual basis. Any area added will be based on the Pobal HP deprivation index and CSO and ESRI evidence.”