PROPOSED CHANGE TO UDARAS DRAWS HEAVY CRITICISM

Date Published: 02-Jun-2011

A former Gaeltacht Minister has said that if Udarás na Gaeltachta loses its job creation remit, it’ll be the “death” of the Irish language.

Speculation is rife that the agency’s enterprise function is to be transferred to the Department of Enterprise.

Over 7,000 jobs are currently supported by the agency which is about 20 percent of all Gaeltacht jobs.

Galway West TD Eamon O’Cuiv says if the change goes ahead, it will be the “final nail in the coffin of the Irish language in Gaeltacht areas.”