20-year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030

The 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030 outlines an integrated approach to the Irish language, in which nine areas of action are specified, including education, the Gaeltacht, family, community, media, technology and the economy. The relevant actions under the strategy are being implemented by the various stakeholders, including this Department.

The Government’s 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030 is available from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media here.

The Department of Education actions are outlined in the implementation plan below

Progress Reports

Action Plan for Irish 2018-2022

An Action plan to implement the 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030 was published by the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. Progress reports for the Department of Education’s implementation of the 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030 since 2018 are contained in the Progress Reports for this Action Plan on the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media webpage

The main aim of the Policy on Gaeltacht Education is to support and promote the use of the Irish language in Gaeltacht communities through strengthening Irish-medium educational provision in Gaeltacht language-planning areas. The policy is the strategic response to address the linguistic challenges facing Gaeltacht language planning areas. The uniqueness of the Gaeltacht as an area of significant linguistic, cultural and economic importance is recognised in the policy. The aim of the implementation of the policy is to secure the vitality of Gaeltacht areas as the home of Irish-speaking communities.

Work is underway in the Department of Education to develop a new policy on Irish-medium Education outside of the Gaeltacht. This new policy will build on what has been achieved under the Policy on Gaeltacht Education. A public consultation process was conducted to gather the views of stakeholders, including young people, parents, education professionals, stakeholders and Irish language organisations.

CLIL is a dual-focused educational approach in which an additional language is used for the learning and teaching of both language and content.

A CLIL approach provides for the delivery of aspects of the curriculum through a language that is not the medium of instruction in the school.

Additional information and resources for primary and post-primary schools are available on the Oide website - www.oide.ie/irish-medium/baile/fcat/

The deadline for expressions of interest for Post-primary schools in participating in the project in the 2025/26 School year is 16 May 2025

The deadline for expressions of interest for Primary schools in participating in the project in the 2025/26 School year is 13 June 2025

The online application from is available here

Policy on Gaeltacht Education 2017-2022

Consultation process to develop a policy on Irish-medium education outside of the Gaeltacht