From Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media
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The Government's Chief Whip and Minister of State for the Gaeltacht and Sport, Jack Chambers T.D., announced today (15 October 2021) that the preparation of language plans is to begin for the towns Clifden, Co. Galway and Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo under the language planning process.
This means that Foras na Gaeilge will now be making the arrangements to select specific organisations in Clifden and Ballinrobe to prepare and implement a language plan for the two towns. Funding of up to €20,000 will be provided to the selected organisations to assist in the preparation of the plans and an annual fund of €80,000 will be provided over a 7 year period to implement the Clifden and Ballinrobe language plan once they are approved.
The Minister of State said:
“This is another step forward in the language planning process. The implementation or preparation of language plans is underway for 8 towns throughout the country. I hope that the town stakeholders will be willing to play an active part in further strengthening the Irish language in Clifden and Ballinrobe – which both the Irish language and the towns will benefit from.”
Following a consultation process in the summer of 2014, the following is the list of towns that are or may be identified as Gaeltacht Service Towns provided that language plans have been agreed with the communities in the individual towns:
| County | Town | |
| Donegal | Letterkenny, Dungloe and Donegal Town | |
| Mayo | Belmullet, Ballinrobe and Castlebar | |
| Galway | Galway City and Clifden | |
| Kerry | An Daingean, Tralee and Cahersiveen | |
| Cork | Cork City and Macroom | |
| Waterford | Dungarvan | |
| Meath | Athboy and Navan |
To date, four Gaeltacht Service Towns have been approved under the process, Letterkenny, An Daingean, Galway City and Dungloe. The Department is currently reviewing the language plan for Tralee town.
The process of preparing plans is underway for the following towns: Dungarvan, Caherciveen, Castlebar and Cork City.
Organisations will be given a period of up to one month to apply to Foras na Gaeilge to be selected as an organisation to prepare and implement a language plan for both towns.
Once an organisation is appointed under the process, they will have up to two years to submit a language plan to the Department and then the organisation will have a period of seven years to implement the agreed language plan with the help of Údarás na Gaeltachta or Foras na Gaeilge - as appropriate. The Department will periodically review the implementation of plans during those seven years.
There are more details about the language planning process available at: https://www.gov.ie/ga/foilsiuchan/an-proiseas-pleanala-teanga/