Údarás na Gaeltachta has announced it is seeking expressions of interest to develop affordable housing for Irish speakers in west Donegal.
The Gaeltacht development authority today approved the initiative, supported by a capital allocation of €250,000 towards development and research costs to develop a model of affordable housing on Údarás lands in three counties, including Gaoth Dobhair.
Tomás Ó Síocháin, CEO of Údarás na Gaeltachta said: “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. 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.”
The board wants to proceed to the development stage of a ‘scaleable model’ for the three sites currently identified in Donegal, Galway and Waterford. It indicated that housing will be a ‘standing agenda item’ until the work is brought to a further stage of development during the coming year.
“To that end, 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 Donegal, Mayo, Galway, Kerry, Cork, Waterford and Meath,” a spokesperson for the authority said.
Údarás is involved with ongoing discussions with local authorities and other relevant stakeholders including the 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 today agreed that housing developed on Údarás sites will be for Irish speakers.
Údarás na Gaeltachta Chairperson, Mary Uí Chadhain, said that the 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 as such, is a threat to the continued use of the language as a living language in years to come,” she said.
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.
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