Údarás must promote the language

Sinn Féin is the only political party to submit proposals to the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs on the restructuring of Údarás na Gaeltachta. The party's West Kerry branch, Cumann Thomáis Ághas, pioneered the submission in a bid to make the Údarás more relevant to the needs of the Gaeltacht communities.

"If the Gaeltacht entity is to survive, the Údarás needs to actively protect and promote its greatest asset, the Irish language. We welcome the recent changes proposed by its Chief Executive to plan for the future of Irish in the Gaeltacht in consultation with local communities, as proposed by our Cumann" says Micheál Ó Conchúir, spokesperson for the cumann.

The submission also includes proposals to give Údarás a greater role in indigenous industries, such as fishing, farming and tourism, as well as planning and IT.