West Donegal demonstration to tackle the Gaeltacht housing crisis
Gaeltacht communities gathered together today at Roinn na Gaeltachta in Gaoth Dobhair, as well as in Gaillimhe and Corcaigh to protest against the continued depopulation and displacement of the Gaeltacht as a result of the housing crisis
The Donegal Gaeltacht community demonstrated as part of the Tintéan campaign to demand immediate action to tackle the Gaeltacht housing crisis.
Gaeltacht communities gathered together today at Roinn na Gaeltachta in Gaoth Dobhair, as well as at Comhairle Contae na Gaillimhe, and at Údarás na Gaeltachta in Gaeltacht Mhúscraí, Corcaigh, to protest against the continued depopulation and displacement of the Gaeltacht as a result of the housing crisis.
The demonstrations took place at particular locations in each county, institutions which play a key role in housing in the Gaeltacht, 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.
Among the demands being made by the Tinteán campaign, groups are seeking: 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 according 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.
Seanán Mac Aoidh, Manager of Gaeltacht Co-Operative Pobal Eascarrach in Donegal said: “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 .”