AIRO Report on Socio-Economic Profile of the Seven Gaeltacht Areas in Ireland

Friday, November 2, 2018 - 14:00

AIRO, Maynooth University Social Sciences Institute along with Senator Pádraig Ó Céidigh, Taoiseach's nominee, today launch an extensive report on Socio-Economic Profile of the Seven Gaeltacht Areas in Ireland at the Oireachtas Na Samhna Festival in Killarney.


Speaking at the Oireachtas today Justin Gleeson of AIRO, Maynooth University Social Sciences Institute has said “This has been an extremely rewarding piece of work to be involved in for all of the AIRO team. For the last number of years we have been developing evidence baseline projects to support key national and regional policies such as the National Planning Framework and the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies. Working with Senator O’Céidigh, we have brought all of our expertise and knowledge in the area to the development of this report. I hope that it will be of great use in supporting future planning and policy work for the Gaeltacht areas in Ireland”

Speaking at the launch Ó Céidigh said “the overarching objective is to effectively enhance the development of Gaeltacht regions and people living in those communities. The report is a socio-economic evidence baseline that provides a very detailed profile, both comparative and individual, of the seven Gaeltacht Areas in Ireland and associated Limistéar Pleanála Teanga (LPTs), or Language Planning Areas.”
Ó Céidigh notes that “the level of detail within will enable community groups, researchers, planners and policy makers to firmly place robust, accurate and authoritative data at the foundation of all future decision making and funding applications.”
“I wish to thank the Irish Research Council for co-funding this report and the Central Statistics Office (CSO) for the publication of an incredible array of Census 2016 statistics. I would also like to acknowledge AIRO, the All-Island Research Observatory at Maynooth University, for their expertise and professionalism.”
Also speaking at the launch, the Director of the Irish Research Council, Peter Brown said, “the Irish Research Council is delighted to have co-funded this research with Senator Ó Céidigh’s office.  The core of the Council’s work is enabling a wide range of stakeholders in society to benefit from the work of Ireland’s research community. The expertise of the All-Island Research Observatory (AIRO) in Maynooth University, applied to the rich data sets on Gaeltacht communities that is now available, has produced new understandings and insights that the Council hopes will be harnessed to the full by all interested parties.”
Ó Céidigh noted “the report will be of great use to those tasked with developing and implementing Language Planning Area Plans and will also act as an incredible resource on the status of Gaeltacht Areas within the Local Economic and Community Plans for the counties of Donegal, Mayo, Galway, Kerry, Cork, Waterford and Meath.”
“Building on from this report the intention is to invite public submissions and activate further qualitative research in relation to those regions. This report will no doubt assist in the development of new initiatives that strengthen the multifaceted resource that are Ireland’s Gaeltacht communities.”
“This launch could not happen without the support of An tOireachtas and I very much appreciate their continued support”
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Link to Report: Gaeltacht Area report - AIRO- MU- English  
(Irish Version Gaeltacht Area report - AIRO - MU - Irish )