SEAS provides an opportunity for TDs and Senators to meet with community groups and constituents to discuss Irish language and Gaeltacht issues
TDs and Senators from both government and opposition parties are present today, Wednesday 25 June, to hear directly from the public on urgent Irish language and Gaeltacht issues. SEAS: Irish Language Advocacy Day is organised annually by Conradh na Gaeilge to give the Irish language and Gaeltacht community the opportunity to raise questions of funding, policy, and language support at both local and national levels.
Among the key demands being raised at SEAS25 are:
Funding:
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That an additional €55 million be allocated for the Irish language and the Gaeltacht in Budget 2026, based on the demands outlined in the Growth Plan.
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That the Growth Plan be fully funded by increasing State expenditure in the South from 0.17% to 0.4% over the next five years.
Gaeltacht Housing:
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That strong planning guidelines for the Gaeltacht be published and enforced without further delay.
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That a Gaeltacht Housing Grant Scheme be reintroduced for the Gaeltacht community.
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That a Housing Department be established within Údarás na Gaeltachta, with responsibility, among other tasks, for facilitating a Gaeltacht Population and Housing Strategy for each Gaeltacht Language Planning Area.
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That Údarás na Gaeltachta be given the legal power to purchase land and property for the purpose of providing housing, and developing social and cultural facilities in the Gaeltacht.
Education:
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That a comprehensive plan be developed and implemented to increase the provision of Irish-medium education from 6% to 20% over a 20-year period.
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That the Minister for Education and Youth immediately establish an expert group to develop the Policy for the Irish Language in the Education System from Early Childhood to Third Level, based on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).
Speaking on SEAS25, Ciarán Mac Giolla Bhéin, President of Conradh na Gaeilge, said:
"SEAS is a critically important opportunity to bring the urgent issues affecting the Irish language and the Gaeltacht directly to our elected representatives. Activists and community members from across the country made an extremely strong case today that there is an urgent need for a significant funding increase in Budget 2026 and for fair treatment for the Irish language in public spending. We placed particular emphasis on the importance of developing a national Irish language policy in the education system from early years through to third level, and on delivering a plan to grow Irish-medium education provision from 6% to 20% over the next 20 years. We also pressed politicians to act on the long-delayed publication of the Gaeltacht Planning Guidelines and to strengthen the powers of Údarás na Gaeltachta to support the sustainability of Gaeltacht communities. These are practical steps that would have a real impact on the future of the language and the Gaeltacht. From our experience of campaigning on these issues, we know that progress is most often driven from the ground up - it’s vital now that the Irish language community continues to raise its voice at this critical time.”
Róisín Ní Chinnéide, Advocacy Manager with Conradh na Gaeilge, added:
"Today, we once again drew political attention to the escalating housing crisis in the Gaeltacht, stressing that these areas are being hollowed out, with young people being driven out of their native communities due to a systemic housing shortage. Our core demand is simple - that people in the Gaeltacht have the right to live in their own communities and to secure the Irish language as a living community language in those areas. To achieve this, we are calling for the immediate publication of the Gaeltacht Planning Guidelines, the reinstatement of the Gaeltacht Housing Grant Scheme, and for Údarás na Gaeltachta to be given greater resources and powers. These steps are essential if we are to ensure a viable future for the Gaeltacht.”
The #SEAS25 information leaflet, setting out the research and commitments sought, can be viewed here.
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X: @CnaG #SEAS25
IG: @cnagaeilge
