Donegal voices heard as Gaeltacht housing crisis group take campaign to Brussels

The TINTEÁN delegation who made their way to the European Union

placeholder image — The TINTEÁN delegation who made their way to the European Union

Caitlín Ní Bhroin, who is the Language Planning Officer for Cloch Cheann Fhaola, was part of the contingency of 12 native speakers of Irish from various Gaeltacht areas that travelled to the European Parliament to meet with six Irish MEPs

An Irish Language Planning Officer from the Donegal Gaeltacht was part of the TINTEÁN delegation that went to Brussels last week to discuss the Gaeltacht housing crisis.

Caitlín Ní Bhroin, who is the Language Planning Officer for Cloch Cheann Fhaola, was part of the contingency of 12 native speakers of Irish from various Gaeltacht areas that travelled to the European Parliament to meet with six Irish MEPs. Donal Ó Cnáimhsí, the language planning officer based in Gaoth Dobhair, was also part of the travelling party.

Founded last October, TINTEÁN, brought together individuals, community groups, and local campaigners to raise awareness over the current housing crisis in Gaeltacht areas across Ireland. The group was invited by Sinn Féin MEP, Kathleen Funchion, to discuss the urgency of the issue regarding the lack of housing that is being made available to native Irish speakers in the Gaeltacht.

They met with five other Irish MEPs, alongside Ms Funchion: Billy Kelleher, Ciarán Mullooly, Lynn Boylan, Seán Kelly, Cynthia Ní Mhurchú and Kathleen Funchion.“We were really encouraged by their questions and their willingness to rectify the issue,” Ms Ní Bhroin tells DonegalLive. “We’ve been in contact with these MEPs and their staff since that meeting.”

She claims that this ongoing issue is affecting Gaeilge-speaking regions in Donegal.

“If young couples returning from living abroad want to start a family, where is that young couple and their children going to live in Cloch Cheann Fhaola?” Ms Ní Bhroin says. “Every Gaeltacht area is having difficulty getting housing for people who speak Irish.”

“If a Gaeilge speaker wants to live or rear their children here, they should be able to do so.”

TINTEÁN has outlined their key demands to the government:

That the statutory power and the necessary resources, both current and capital, be given to Údarás na Gaeltachta to establish a Housing Section, to enable it to purchase land, obtain planning permission, and provide necessary services to develop housing for Irish speakers in Gaeltacht areas.

That funding be made available annually to the Department of the Gaeltacht to operate the Gaeltacht housing grants scheme again pursuant to the Housing (Gaeltacht) (Amendment) Act, 2001, to provide support for Irish speakers who would like to build or renovate a house in the Gaeltacht.

That strong Gaeltacht planning guidelines be published and implemented in relation to the statutory duty of the county councils regarding the preservation of Irish as a community language in the Gaeltacht.

That a Gaeltacht Population and Housing Strategy be drawn up for each Gaeltacht Language Planning Area with clear, measurable targets set out to ensure the sustainable growth of the Gaeltacht communities and to ensure an appropriate supply of housing to support that growth.

On March 10, the campaign group held a nationwide demonstration in various Gaeltacht areas in Ireland, at institutions which play a key role in housing in the Gaeltacht, including at Roinn na Gaeltachta in Gaoth Dobhair.

It took place to remind the relevant authorities of their own responsibilities in the context of this crisis: Gaeltacht planning guidelines promised in 2021 that have yet to be put before the public in March 2025; the shocking disparity between the number of short-term lets in the Gaeltacht and properties available to rent long-term; and the extreme lack of social and affordable homes in Gaeltacht areas.

Seanán Mac Aoidh, is the manager of Pobal Eascarrach which is the lead organisation for Pleanáil Teanga Chloich Cheann Fhaola. Both groups are members of TINTEÁN. He said last month: “The Gaeltacht areas have been experiencing depopulation for years due to a flawed system that does not fairly serve the Gaeltacht community as a rural language community. We hear plenty of talk about language planning, but if there are no people in the Gaeltacht to speak the language, what is the point of discussing language planning?

“We are facing a crisis now, and the State must urgently address this issue. We have put forward clear proposals that would resolve many of the challenges, and all that is needed to implement them is the will and commitment—two things we have not received from the Government when it comes to Gaeltacht housing for a very, very long time. If we are to secure the future of the Gaeltacht, urgent action is needed .”

The TINTEÁN demands were sent to the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Patrick O’Donovan, however, they have not received a response since.

“We are here to promote and save the Irish language, and we want to do it in a planned and sustainable way. We want future generations to live in the Gaeltacht,” Ms. Ní Bhroin adds.