A site in An Cheathrú Rua has been included in an Údarás na Gaeltachta housing initiative, which was approved today.
The initiative is supported by capital investment of €250,000 for development and research costs to develop a model of affordable housing for Irish speakers.
The three chosen sites in An Rinn, Co. Waterford, An Cheathrú Rua, Co. Galway and Gaoth Dobhair, Co. Donegal are within existing settlements and close to public services.
The Board of Údarás na Gaeltachta welcomed the work to date and the further work that was needed to move from approval in principle to the development of a scaleable model for Gaeltacht areas and plans for the three sites.
The level of demand among Irish speakers and existing supply will also be assessed as part of the planned work, to include ongoing and further engagement with relevant national and local stakeholders.
The Board has indicated that housing will be a standing agenda item until the work is brought to a further stage of development during the coming year.
Údarás na Gaeltachta are seeking expressions of interest from local authorities, housing organisations and other relevant organisation to partner in the development of this a model for the three identified sites and for Gaeltacht areas across the seven counties of Galway, Donegal, Mayo, Kerry, Cork, Waterford and Meath.
Údarás na Gaeltachta is involved with ongoing discussions with local authorities and other relevant stakeholders including Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to progress the initiative.
Any development will draw on existing funding mechanisms in place under the Government’s ‘Housing for All’ programme.
Any criteria developed for buyers through this work will build on the existing affordable housing eligibility criteria that are currently in place but will also include a strong language criteria.
The Board of Údarás na Gaeltachta today agreed that housing developed on Údarás sites will be for Irish speakers.
Údarás na Gaeltachta Chairperson, Mary Uí Chadhain, said that the Údarás housing initiative is at the core of the work of the organisation to support and develop sustainable communities where Irish is the daily spoken language.
“The housing crisis nationally presents a significant challenge to the next generation of Irish speakers who seek to live in Gaeltacht areas and such, is a threat to the continued use of the language as a living language in years to come,” she said.
Tomás Ó Síocháin, CEO of Údarás na Gaeltachta, said that existing employment opportunities in Gaeltacht areas cannot be filled due to the lack of housing.
“It is also a barrier to those from the Gaeltacht, those with family connections in the Gaeltacht and to Irish speakers who want to live where Irish is the community language,” he said.
“This Affordable Housing Initiative marks the first step in finding solutions to that challenge and to build on the successful and ongoing work of Údarás na Gaeltachta to support employment and community development in Gaeltacht areas.”
A dedicated email address has been established, tithiocht@udaras.ie, for anyone who would like to receive further information on this issue or regarding the three sites that have been identified at this stage of the project:
- An Rinn, Co. Waterford
- An Cheathrú Rua, Co. Galway
- Tithe Charraig a’tSeiscin, Gaoth Dobhair, Co. Donegal
