Policy

Language Planning Process

From: Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht
Published on: 1 August 2023
Last updated on: 19 January 2026

Overview

The Gaeltacht Act 2012 gives statutory effect to the language planning process under which language plans will be prepared at community level in areas which could be recognised under the Act as Gaeltacht Language Planning Areas, as Gaeltacht Service Towns or as Irish Language Networks.

Communities are granted a period of time to prepare and implement language plans. Under the legislation, the department is responsible for evaluating language plans prior to approval. The department will also have responsibility for periodically reviewing the implementation of the language plans.

Under the Act, the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht must complete a review of language plans. As a result of a request from the language planning community itself, the first review of the process has been an independent one, undertaken by the company, Barr Feabhais Teo.