79-440: A Gaeltacht ( / ˈ ɡ eɪ l t ə x t / GAYL -təkht , Irish: [ˈɡeːl̪ˠt̪ˠəxt̪ˠ] , pl. Gaeltachtaí ) is a district of Ireland, either individually or collectively, where the Irish government recognises that the Irish language is the predominant vernacular , or language of the home. The Gaeltacht districts were first officially recognised during
158-586: A bean an tí , or Irish-speaking landlady. Popular Irish colleges/Gaeltachts include: Spleodar, Colaiste Sheosaimh and Uisce. Most Irish language summer colleges for teenagers in the Gaeltacht are supported and represented by CONCOS , who are based in Leitir Móir . Irish government The Government of Ireland ( Irish : Rialtas na hÉireann ) is the executive authority of the Republic of Ireland , headed by
237-578: A Committee of Experts of the Council of Europe . A language revival has also taken place in southern County Londonderry, centred on Slaghtneill (Sleacht Néill) and Carntogher (Carn Tóchair), both outside Maghera . In 2022 the British Parliament passed the Identity and Language (Northern Ireland) Act 2022 , which made Irish alongside English as the two official languages of Northern Ireland, it also repealed
316-531: A combined population of 50,570 (2016) and represent 50.8% of total Gaeltacht population. The Galway Gaeltacht encompasses a geographical area of 1,225 km (473 sq mi). This represents 26% of total Gaeltacht land area. There is also a third-level constituent college of National University of Ireland Galway (NUIG) called Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge in An Cheathrú Rua and Carna . The national Irish-language radio station Raidió na Gaeltachta
395-488: A department of state will cease to exist, its functions being transferred to another department. Such defunct ministerial positions include the Ministers for Labour , Posts and Telegraphs , Public Service and Supplies . Non-members have no voting rights at Cabinet but may otherwise participate fully, and normally receive circulated Cabinet papers on the same basis as a full member of Government. Votes are rare, however, with
474-767: A member of the Free State Seanad , had served in the Executive Council of the Irish Free State from 1932 to 1933 as Minister for Posts and Telegraphs , and from 1933 to 1936 as Minister for Lands and Fisheries . A member of the government in charge of a Department of State is designated a minister of the Government (before 1977 this position was termed Minister of State ). For distinction, Ministers of State (known before 1977 as Parliamentary Secretaries ) – informally called junior ministers – are not Ministers of
553-539: A number of occasions, and these may be cited together as the Ministers and Secretaries Acts 1924 to 2017 and are construed together as one Act. All governments from 1989 to 2016 were coalitions of two or more parties. The first coalition government was formed in 1948. The Taoiseach has almost always been the leader of the largest party in the coalition, with the exceptions of John A. Costello , Taoiseach from 1948 to 1951 and from 1954 to 1957 (a member of Fine Gael but not
632-530: A phrase in correspondence by government departments, "the Minister has directed me to write", on letters or documents that the minister in question may never have seen. If the Government, or any member of the government, should fail to fulfil its constitutional duties, it may be ordered to do so by a court of law, by a writ of mandamus . Ministers who fail to comply may, ultimately, be found to be in contempt of court , and even imprisoned. Prior to independence,
711-741: A plurality (43%) speaking Irish less than once a fortnight. There is an Irish-language centre Áras Chrónáin in Clondalkin and an Irish language GAA club Na Gaeil Óga CLG based in Lucan and the Phoenix Park. County Dublin has over 50 Gaelscoileanna including 10 Gaelcholáistí . In 2001, the British government ratified the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages . Irish (in Northern Ireland)
790-425: A population of 1,784 people (1,271 Irish speakers) and represents 2% of total Gaeltacht population. All education in Gaeltacht na nDéise is carried out through the medium of Irish. There are two Pre-schools, two Primary level national schools, one Secondary School, Meánscoil San Nioclás and Coláiste na Rinne, a private boarding school and summer college. The Meath Gaeltacht ( Irish : Gaeltacht [Chontae] na Mí )
869-541: A population of 23,346 (Census 2016) and represents 23.4% of the total Gaeltacht population. The Donegal Gaeltacht encompasses a geographical area of 1,502 km (580 sq mi). This represents 26% of total Gaeltacht land area. The three parishes of the Rosses , Gweedore and Cloughaneely constitute the main centre of population of the Donegal Gaeltacht. There are over 17,132 Irish speakers, 14,500 in areas where it
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#1733092827042948-657: A student can achieve the prestige which goes along with the title "graduate" (a notable exception being Fiontar in Dublin City University ). The academy was founded in 2004 under the auspices of the National University of Ireland - Galway to provide a centre of excellence for university studies and research through the Irish language. It was the only third level body where the working language and language of instruction are Ireland's indigenous language until in 2013 when
1027-402: A variety of different activities games, music, art and sport. There are a number of different Irish colleges for students to choose from throughout the country. Many of the colleges while providing a number of activities and events for young people through the Irish language will be known for or specialise in a specific category. For example, Coláiste Lurgan is commonly known for its promotion of
1106-473: Is Dingle and the largest in Iveragh Peninsula is Ballinskelligs . The Kerry Gaeltacht has a population of 8,729 (6,185 Irish speakers) and represents 9% of total Gaeltacht population. The Kerry Gaeltacht encompasses a geographical area of 642 km (248 sq mi). The Mayo Gaeltacht ( Irish : Gaeltacht [Chontae] Mhaigh Eo ) as of 2011 has a total population of 10,886 and represents 11.5% of
1185-475: Is a third level educational and research institution headquartered in Galway , Ireland. It was established as part of the National University of Ireland - Galway in 2004, to further the development Irish-medium education. The academy works in co-operation with faculties, departments and other university offices to develop the range and number of programmes that are provided through the medium of Irish on campus and in
1264-546: Is an area in Tamworth, Ontario in Canada. It has no permanent residents but serves as a resource centre for Irish speakers throughout North America. It was officially opened in 2007. Irish colleges are residential Irish language summer courses that give students the opportunity to be totally immersed in the language, usually for periods of three weeks over the summer months. During these courses, students attend classes and participate in
1343-526: Is being made to re-establish Irish-speaking communities, with varying levels of success. Such areas are both urban and rural. Most daily speakers of Irish now live outside the existing Gaeltacht areas, and are particularly numerous in Dublin . In 2018 Foras na Gaeilge announced that Carn Tóchair in County Londonderry was going to be one of the first five Líonraí Gaeilge (areas with Irish-speaking networks) on
1422-656: Is expected to maintain political impartiality in its work, and some parts of it are entirely independent of Government decision making. Simon Harris was nominated as Taoiseach by Dáil Éireann on 9 April 2024 and appointed by the president . Harris proposed the nomination of the members of government, and after their approval by the Dáil, they were appointed by the president. Acadamh na hOllscola%C3%ADochta Gaeilge Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge ( Irish: [ˈakəd̪ˠəw n̪ˠə ˈhʊl̪ˠˌsˠkʊlˠiːxt̪ˠə ˈɡeːlʲɟə] ; English: "The Academy of Irish-Language University Education")
1501-519: Is informally known as a "super junior minister". Currently Jack Chambers , Hildegarde Naughton and Pippa Hackett are Ministers of State who attend cabinet. Trinity College Dublin law professor Oran Doyle has argued that this practice breaches cabinet confidentiality as required by the Constitution . A new government is formed by the Taoiseach appointed after each general election after receiving
1580-736: Is located in Casla , the Tuairisc online newspaper is in Barna , and the national television station TG4 is in Baile na hAbhann . Galway city is home to the Irish language theatre Taibhdhearc na Gaillimhe . The Kerry Gaeltacht ( Irish : Gaeltacht [Chontae] Chiarraí ) consists of two areas – the western half of Gaeltacht Corca Dhuibhne ( Dingle Peninsula ) and central and western parts of Iveragh Peninsula ( Uíbh Ráthach ). The largest settlement in Corca Dhuibhne
1659-403: Is responsible for the actions of his or her department. Departments of State do not have legal personalities. Actions of departments are carried out under the title of ministers even, as is commonly the case when the minister has little knowledge of the details of these actions. This contradicts the rule in common law that a person given a statutory power cannot delegate that power. This leads to
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#17330928270421738-648: Is responsible for the overall Irish Government policy with respect to the Gaeltacht, and supervises the work of the Údarás na Gaeltachta and other bodies. RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta is the Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ) radio station serving the Gaeltacht and Irish speakers generally. TG4 is the television station which is focused on promoting the Irish language and is based in the County Galway Gaeltacht. In March 2005, Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Éamon Ó Cuív announced that
1817-493: Is spoken by 30–100% of the population and 2,500 in areas where it is spoken by less than 30%. In 2006 there were 2,436 people employed in a full-time capacity in Údarás na Gaeltachta client companies in the Donegal Gaeltacht. This region is particularly popular with students of the Ulster dialect ; each year thousands of students visit the area from Northern Ireland . Donegal is unique in the Gaeltacht regions, as its accent and dialect
1896-459: Is spoken by less than 30%. The Cork Gaeltacht ( Irish : Gaeltacht [Chontae] Chorcaí ) consists of two areas – Muskerry and Cape Clear Island . The Muskerry Gaeltacht has a population of 3,895 people (2,951 Irish speakers) and represents 4% of the total Gaeltacht population. The Cork Gaeltacht encompasses a geographical area of 262 km (101 sq mi). This represents 6% of the total Gaeltacht area. The largest Muskerry settlements are
1975-591: Is the health sector with over 105,000 employees (largely in the Health Service Executive ), followed by the education sector with approximately 98,450. The civil service of Ireland consists of two broad components, the Civil Service of the Government and the Civil Service of the State . While this partition is largely theoretical, the two parts do have some fundamental operational differences. The civil service
2054-437: Is the smallest Gaeltacht area and consists of the two villages of Ráth Cairn and Baile Ghib . Navan , 8 km (5 mi) from Baile Ghib, is the main urban centre within the region, with a population of more than 20,000. The Meath Gaeltacht has a population of 1,771 and represents 2% of the total Gaeltacht population. The Meath Gaeltacht encompasses a geographical area of 44 km (17 sq mi). This represents 1% of
2133-704: Is unmistakably northern in character. The language has many similarities with Scottish Gaelic, which are not evident in other Irish dialects. Gweedore in County Donegal is the largest Gaeltacht parish in Ireland, which is home to regional studios of RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta . It has produced well-known traditional musicians, including the bands Altan and Clannad , as well as the artist Enya . All three have recorded music in Irish. The Galway County ( Irish : Gaeltacht Chontae na Gaillimhe ) and Galway City ( Irish : Gaeltacht Chathair na Gaillimhe ) Gaeltachtaí have
2212-533: The Taoiseach , the head of government . The government – also known as the cabinet – is composed of ministers , each of whom must be a member of the Oireachtas , which consists of Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann . Most ministers have a portfolio of specific responsibilities such as departments or policy areas, although ministers without portfolio can be appointed. The Taoiseach must be nominated by
2291-467: The 1737 ban of Irish in Northern Irish courts. In January of 2024 Irish was spoken for the first time in a Belfast court since the repeal of the act. This is the first time in nearly 300 years. Parts of County Clare were recognised as Gaeltacht areas following recommendations made by Coimisiún na Gaeltachta 1925. In 1956, however, it was decided that there were too few traditional speakers to justify
2370-610: The Central Applications Office , as appropriate. Below is a sample of the programmes which have been delivered. Both Translation Studies and Communication Studies can be taken as part of a joint honours degree. Comprehensive Linguistic Study of the Use of Irish in the Gaeltacht: Principal Findings and Recommendations, Dublin: Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge (National University of Ireland Galway) Members of
2449-580: The Green Party . It was formed after protracted government negotiations following a general election on 8 February 2020. Membership of the cabinet is regulated by Article 28 of the Constitution of Ireland and by the Ministers and Secretaries Acts 1924 to 2017 . The Constitution requires the government to consist of between seven and fifteen members, all of whom must be a member of the Oireachtas . Since
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2528-629: The Irish Free State on 6 December 1922, both executives were succeeded by the Executive Council of the Irish Free State . On 29 December 1937, on the coming into force of the Constitution of Ireland, the Eighth Executive Council of the Irish Free State became the First Government of Ireland . The detail and structure of the Government of Ireland has its legislative basis in the Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924; it has been amended on
2607-417: The nomination of the Dáil . All members of the government are deemed to have resigned on the resignation of the Taoiseach. Therefore, a new government is appointed where there is a new Taoiseach within a single Dáil term. The Constitution allows a Dáil term of no more than seven years, but a shorter period may be specified by law; this has been set as a maximum of five years. The Taoiseach may at any time advise
2686-539: The 1920s in the early years of the Irish Free State , following the Gaelic revival , as part of a government policy aimed at restoring the Irish language. The Gaeltacht is threatened by serious language decline. Research published in 2015 showed that Irish is spoken on a daily basis by two-thirds or more of the population in only 21 of the 155 electoral divisions in the Gaeltacht . Daily language use by two-thirds or more of
2765-473: The 95,000 people living within the official Gaeltacht, approximately 17,000 belonged to Category A areas, 10,000 to Category B, and 17,000 to Category C, leaving about 50,000 in Gaeltacht areas that did not meet the minimum criteria. In response to this situation, the government introduced the Gaeltacht Bill 2012. Its stated aim was to provide for a new definition of boundaries based on language criteria, but it
2844-676: The Dáil , the house of representatives. Following the nomination of the Dáil , the President of Ireland appoints the Taoiseach to their role. The President also appoints members of the government, including the Tánaiste , the deputy head of government, on the nomination of the Taoiseach and their approval by the Dáil . The government is dependent on the Oireachtas to pass primary legislation and as such,
2923-415: The Gaeltacht was now at its most fragile and that the State could not expect that Irish would survive as a community language if the State kept forcing the use of English on Gaeltacht communities. A report published in 2015, Nuashonrú ar an Staidéar Cuimsitheach Teangeolaíoch ar Úsáid na Gaeilge sa Ghaeltacht: 2006–2011 , said that on present indicators, Irish will cease to be used as a community language in
3002-517: The Gaeltacht within ten years. By the time of the 2022 census, the number of speakers using the language daily had declined to 20,261. The recent decline is in part attributed to the housing crisis, as young people who grew up within the Gaeltacht are unable to afford homes in the area and leave. The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media , under the leadership of the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media ,
3081-495: The Government in the office at the date of a dissolution of Dáil Éireann shall continue to hold office until their successors shall have been appointed". Where the resignation of the Taoiseach and government is not immediately followed by the appointment by the president of a new Taoiseach on the nomination of the Dáil, the outgoing government continues as a caretaker government to "carry out their duties until their successors have been appointed". This has happened when no candidate
3160-607: The Government, but assist those Ministers in their Departments. A minister without portfolio may be appointed to the Government who is not the head of a Department of State; this occurred during the period known in Ireland as the Emergency when Frank Aiken served as Minister for the Co-ordination of Defensive Measures from 1939 until 1945. The functions of government ministers are frequently transferred between departments during cabinet reshuffles or after elections. On occasion,
3239-475: The Highlands and Islands , has been accompanied by a marked increase in the vitality of Scottish Gaelic . While higher education has a long history in Ireland, for most of that history it has been almost exclusively been a pursuit for English-speakers. Many Irish third level institutions provide courses where Irish itself is the object of study, but outside of that it very rare for Irish to be the medium through which
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3318-655: The Irish language through music, Coláiste Aodáin for water sports and team games, and others for GAA sports. As with the conventional schools, the Department of Education sets out requirements for class sizes and qualifications required by teachers. Some courses are college-based and others provide for residence with host families in Gaeltacht areas, such as Ros Muc in Galway, Ráth Cairn in County Meath, and Teileann and Rann na Feirste in County Donegal, with instruction given by
3397-607: The Irish-speaking population had decreased markedly from what it had been before the 1950s); and the inclusion of Baile Ghib ( Gibstown) and Ráth Chairn ( Rathcarran ) in Meath in 1967. A study in 2005 by the Educational Council for Gaeltacht and Irish-Medium Schools, said that Gaeltacht schools were facing a crisis. It forecast that, without support, few of them would be teaching in Irish in 20 years' time. This would threaten
3476-454: The President to dissolve the Dáil, prompting a new general election. The President retains absolute discretion to refuse to grant a dissolution to a Taoiseach who has lost the confidence of the Dáil. To date, no President has refused the request of a Taoiseach to dissolve the Dáil. The Taoiseach must retain the confidence of Dáil Éireann to remain in office. If the Taoiseach ceases "to retain
3555-493: The Republic of Ireland showed that the population of the Gaeltacht was 102,973, 2% of the total population; this figure represented an increase of 2% from 2016. 65,156 (66%) of the Gaeltacht population were Irish speakers. As of the 2022 census, English is the family and community language in the majority of the 156 Electoral Divisions of the Gaeltacht . The Gaeltacht districts have historically suffered from mass emigration. Being at
3634-444: The Taoiseach resigns, the entire Government is deemed to have resigned as a collective. However, in such a scenario, according to the Constitution, "the Taoiseach and the other members of the Government shall continue to carry on their duties until their successors shall have been appointed". On the dissolution of Dáil Éireann, ministers are no longer members of the Oireachtas. However, the Constitution also provides that "the members of
3713-508: The Usage of Irish in the Gaeltacht") was published. Concerning Gaeltacht boundaries, it suggested creating three linguistic zones within the Gaeltacht region: The report suggested that Category A districts should be the State's priority in providing services through Irish and development schemes. It also said that Category C areas that showed a further decline in the use of Irish should lose their Gaeltacht status. The 2006 Census data shows that of
3792-568: The academy's Gaeltacht centres. The academy operates in four in urban and rural campuses or centres: The importance to any linguistic group of higher education through their own language has long been acknowledged. The foundation in Scotland of the Sabhal Mòr Ostaig , an institute which is comparable to but more substantial than the academy as it is a constituent college of the University of
3871-572: The cabinet must be members of Dáil Éireann , the house of representatives. The Taoiseach , Tánaiste and Minister for Finance must be members of the Dáil. In practice, however, the members of the cabinet are invariably members of the Dáil. Since the adoption of the 1937 constitution, only two ministers have been appointed from the Seanad: Seán Moylan who served in 1957 as Minister for Agriculture and James Dooge who served as Minister for Foreign Affairs from 1981 to 1982. Joseph Connolly ,
3950-631: The cabinet usually following the Taoiseach or working by consensus. The Government is advised by the Attorney General , who is not formally a member of the Government, but who participates in cabinet meetings as part of their role as legal advisor to the Government. The Chief Whip may attend meetings of the cabinet, but is not a member of the Government. In addition, the Government can select other Ministers of State who may attend cabinet meetings. Up to three Ministers of State who regularly attend cabinet meetings may receive an allowance. This person
4029-578: The edge of the island they always had fewer railways and roads, and poorer land to farm. Other influences have been the arrival of non-Irish speaking families, the marginal role of the Irish language in the education system and general pressure from the English-speaking community. There is no evidence that periods of relative prosperity have materially improved the situation of the language. The Donegal (or Tyrconnell) Gaeltacht ( Irish : Gaeltacht [Chontae] Dhún na nGall or Gaeltacht Thír Chonaill ) has
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#17330928270424108-607: The educational organisation Gaelchultúr was granted its status as a third level institution by the QQI , giving birth to Coláiste na hÉireann . The academy is not a large body and given its scale and its subordinate status to its parent, it cannot be considered an Irish language university. The academy's staff have been involved in the creation of The New Irish-English Dictionary, the Digital Repository of Ireland and other archival projects, providing material and data insights to
4187-692: The executive of the unilaterally declared Irish Republic was the Ministry of Dáil Éireann . This was in operation from 1919 to 1922. After the approval of the Anglo-Irish Treaty in January 1922, a Provisional Government of Ireland was established as the executive. The personnel of the Provisional Government overlapped with the Ministry of Dáil Éireann, but they were not identical. On the independence of
4266-410: The formation of the 12th Government of Ireland in 1966, all Irish cabinets have been formed with the constitutional maximum of fifteen ministers. The total sometimes falls below this number for brief periods following the resignation of individual ministers or the withdrawal of a party from a coalition. No more than two members of the cabinet may be members of Seanad Éireann . All other members of
4345-453: The future of the Gaeltacht. Parents felt that the educational system did not support their efforts to pass on Irish as a living language to their children. The study added that a significant number of Gaeltacht schools had switched to teaching in English, and others were wavering. In 2002 the third Coimisiún na Gaeltachta stated in its report that the erosion of the use of Irish in the Gaeltacht
4424-408: The government needs to command a majority in the Dáil in order to ensure support and confidence for budgets and government bills to pass. The current government entered office on 9 April 2024 with Simon Harris , leader of Fine Gael , as Taoiseach . The Tánaiste is Micheál Martin , leader of Fianna Fáil . It is a majority coalition government of Fianna Fáil , Fine Gael and
4503-527: The government of Ireland would begin listing only the Irish language versions of place names in the Gaeltachtaí as the official names, stripping the official Ordnance Survey of their English equivalents, to bring them up to date with road signs in the Gaeltacht, which have been in Irish only since 1970. This was done under a Placenames Order made under the Official Languages Act . The 2022 census of
4582-421: The head of state is the nominal chief executive, though bound by convention to act on the advice of the cabinet. In Ireland, however, the Constitution explicitly vests executive authority in the Government, not the President. The executive authority of the Government is subject to certain limitations. In particular: Government ministers are collectively responsible for the actions of the government. Each minister
4661-606: The inclusion of Clare in the Official Gaeltacht. Since then there have been attempts to re-establish the language in the community, and it was claimed in 2012 that there were up to 170 people in County Clare who were daily speakers of Irish. The main activist group is Coiste Forbartha Gaeltachta Chontae an Chláir (The Gaeltacht Development Committee for County Clare), whose aim is to achieve Gaeltacht status for County Clare or for part of it. The Permanent North American Gaeltacht
4740-762: The island of Ireland, along with Belfast, Loughrea in County Galway, Ennis in County Clare , and Clondalkin in Dublin. Dublin and its suburbs are reported to be the site of the largest number of daily Irish speakers, with 14,229 persons speaking Irish daily, representing 18 per cent of all daily speakers. In a survey of a small sample of adults who had grown up in Dublin and had completed full-time education, 54% of respondents reported some fluency in Irish, ranging from being able to make small talk to complete fluency. Only 19% of speakers spoke Irish three or more times per week, with
4819-412: The national Irish-language broadcaster TG4 , and conducting examinations for the national Seal of Accreditation for translators. It maintains a close relationship with departments of the university in Galway. Given its concentration of Irish language education and research skills, the academy provides services for other bodies such as translation services, language education for NUIG staff, and developing
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#17330928270424898-433: The number of Irish speakers had declined. Gaeltacht areas were recognised in seven of the state's 26 counties (nominally Donegal , Galway , Mayo , Kerry , and Waterford ). Since then, the Gaeltacht boundaries have been maintained with minor changes: the inclusion of An Clochán ( Cloghane ) and Cé Bhréanainn ( Brandon ) in County Kerry in 1974; the inclusion of a part of West Muskerry in County Cork (although
4977-425: The party leader) and Leo Varadkar , since 2022 (leader of Fine Gael, in a three-party coalition where Fianna Fáil is the largest party). The public service in Ireland refers to the totality of public administration in Ireland. As of Q3, 2016 the total number of employees in the Irish public service stands at 304,472 people. The Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform defines
5056-414: The population is regarded by some academics as a tipping point for language survival. In 1926, the official Gaeltacht was designated as a result of the report of the first Gaeltacht Commission Coimisiún na Gaeltachta . The exact boundaries were not defined. At the time, an area was classified as Gaeltacht if 80% or more of the population was Irish-speaking; however, partial- Gaeltacht status
5135-428: The public service as comprising seven sectors: the Civil Service , Defence Sector , Education Sector , Health Sector , Justice Sector , Local Authorities and Non-Commercial State Agencies ; such as Bord Bia , IDA Ireland and the Commission for Energy Regulation . Commercial state-owned bodies such as RTÉ , ESB Group and An Post are not considered part of the public service in Ireland. The largest sector
5214-476: The same way in 1937, along with Baile Ailin (formerly Allenstown). In the early years, a large percentage of the population returned to Galway or emigrated, but enough Irish speakers remained to ensure that Ráth Cairn and Baile Ghib were awarded Gaeltacht status in 1967. The original aim of spreading the Irish language into the local community met with no success, and the colonists had to become bilingual. There are areas of Ireland, north and south, where an attempt
5293-414: The strength of language use in an area. In 1956, under the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1956 , the position of Minister for the Gaeltacht (now the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media ) was created. The same legislation allowed the government to designate areas as being Gaeltacht districts. They were initially defined precisely and excluded many areas in which
5372-435: The support of a majority in Dáil Éireann", the Taoiseach must resign unless they seek a dissolution of the Dáil which is granted by the President. This applies only in cases of a motion of no confidence or loss of supply (rejection of a budget), rather than the defeat of the government in other legislation or Dáil votes. The Taoiseach can direct the President to dismiss or accept the resignation of individual ministers . When
5451-399: The total Gaeltacht land area. The Meath Gaeltacht has a history quite different from that of the country's other Irish speaking regions. The Ráth Cairn Gaeltacht was founded in 1935 when 41 families from Connemara in West Galway were resettled on land previously acquired by the Irish Land Commission. Each was given 9 hectares (22 acres) to farm. Baile Ghib (formerly Gibbstown) was settled in
5530-406: The total Gaeltacht population. The Mayo Gaeltacht encompasses a geographical area of 905 km (349 sq mi). This represents 19% of the total Gaeltacht land area and comprises three distinct areas – Erris , Achill Island and Toormakeady . There are 6,667 Irish speakers, with 4,000 living in areas where the language is spoken by 30–100% of the population and 2,500 living in areas where it
5609-509: The university's Language Scheme. It publishes papers on topics including sociolinguistics , technology , pedagogy and translation in its annual scholarly publication, An Reiviú . The academy offers university courses of various levels in numerous subjects, primarily in language studies , communication and technology , and indigenous culture . Many courses can be taken full-time or part-time, and some even cater for distance learning . Prospective students can apply directly or through
5688-420: The villages of Baile Mhic Íre (Ballymakeera), Baile Bhuirne (Ballyvourney), Cill na Martra (Kilnamartyra), and Béal Átha an Ghaorthaidh (Ballingeary). The Waterford Gaeltacht (Gaeltacht na nDéise, Irish : Gaeltacht [Chontae] Phort Láirge ) is ten kilometres (six miles) west of Dungarvan . It embraces the parishes of Rinn Ua gCuanach (Ring) and An Sean Phobal (Old Parish). The Waterford Gaeltacht has
5767-448: Was also accorded to many areas that did not meet the threshold, so long as they were at least 25% Irish-speaking. The Irish Free State recognised that there were predominantly Irish-speaking or semi-Irish-speaking districts in 7 of its 26 counties, covering 22 districts. In the 1950s, another Gaeltacht Commission concluded that the Gaeltacht boundaries were ill-defined. It recommended that Gaeltacht status be based solely on
5846-463: Was also criticised for placing all responsibility for the maintenance of Irish on voluntary organisations, with no increase in government resources. The annual report in 2012 by the Language Commissioner for Irish reinforced these criticisms by emphasising the failure of the State to provide Irish-language services to Irish speakers in the Gaeltacht and elsewhere. The report said that Irish in
5925-450: Was criticised for doing the opposite of this. Critics drew attention to Section 7 of the Bill, which stated that all areas "currently within the Gaeltacht" would maintain their current Gaeltacht status, regardless of whether Irish was used. This status could only be revoked if the area failed to prepare a language plan (with no necessary relationship to the documented number of speakers). The Bill
6004-416: Was nominated for Taoiseach when the Dáil first assembled after a general election, or, on one occasion, where a Taoiseach had lost the confidence of the Dáil, but there was not a dissolution of the Dáil followed by a general election. Unlike the cabinets in other parliamentary systems, the Government is both the de jure and de facto executive authority in Ireland. In some other parliamentary regimes,
6083-408: Was now such that it was only a matter of time before the Gaeltacht disappeared. In some areas, Irish had already ceased to be a community language. Even in the strongest Gaeltacht areas, current patterns of bilingualism were leading to the dominance of English. Policies implemented by the State and voluntary groups were having no effect. The report recommended that a new language reinforcement strategy
6162-574: Was required, one that had the confidence of the community itself. The Commission recommended, among many other things, that the boundaries of the official Gaeltacht should be redrawn. It also recommended a comprehensive linguistic study to assess the vitality of the Irish language in the remaining Gaeltacht districts. The study was undertaken by Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge (part of the National University of Ireland, Galway ). On 1 November 2007 Staidéar Cuimsitheach Teangeolaíoch ar Úsáid na Gaeilge sa Ghaeltacht ("A Comprehensive Linguistic Study of
6241-496: Was specified under Part III of the Charter, giving it a status comparable to that of the Welsh language or Scottish Gaelic . This included undertakings in relation to education, translation of statutes, interaction with public authorities, the use of placenames, media access, support for cultural activities and other matters. Compliance with the state's obligations is assessed periodically by
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