An Ghaeltacht needs a serious plan — not short-term increases, says Thomas

Independent Ireland candidate for Galway West, Councillor Noel Thomas, has said that while recent Budgets have included additional funding for the Gaeltacht, the overall approach still falls well short of what is required to sustain Irish-speaking communities.

Councillor Thomas said the Government continues to rely on incremental increases rather than delivering a properly structured, long-term development plan for Údarás na Gaeltachta and the communities it supports.

“The Government will point to increases in Budget 2025 and Budget 2026 — and those increases are there,” he said.

“But when you break them down, they are relatively modest and, more importantly, they are not part of a serious, multi-annual plan that matches the scale of what is needed on the ground. The issue is scale and certainty”

Councillor Thomas said that in Budget 2025, Údarás na Gaeltachta received an additional €1.9 million, followed by a further €2.5 million in Budget 2026 — including just €1 million in additional capital funding.

“At a time when Gaeltacht communities are dealing with housing shortages, rising costs, lack of infrastructure and challenges around employment, that level of increase is simply not enough,” he said.

“You cannot build houses, support businesses, develop digital infrastructure and sustain communities on small, year-to-year increases. What is needed is scale and certainty.”

Councillor Thomas said there is also a lack of clarity in how funding is presented, with one-off infrastructure investment figures often referenced alongside core allocations.

“People hear large numbers quoted, but the reality is that core, consistent capital funding — the type that allows proper long-term planning — is still far below where it needs to be,” he said.

Councillor Thomas said Independent Ireland is proposing a multi-annual Gaeltacht investment programme in the region of €80–€100 million per year, focused on practical delivery.

Restore and expand core capital funding for Údarás to at least €30 million annually

→ Enabling real enterprise development and job creation.

€20 million per year – Gaeltacht Innovation & Enterprise Fund

€10 million per year – Dedicated enterprise supports (LEO-equivalent )

→ Ensuring Gaeltacht businesses are not at a disadvantage.

€10 million per year – Digital infrastructure & gteic expansion

→ Making remote working viable across all Gaeltacht regions.

€5 million per year – Language planning & community development

€5 million per year – Arts, youth and cultural supports

€7.5 million per year – Outdoor recreation & tourism infrastructure

Councillor Thomas said the impact of underinvestment is being felt clearly across Conamara and the islands.

“In Galway West, we see the reality every day. Young people want to stay but cannot find housing. Businesses want to expand but lack support. Communities are trying to hold onto schools and services,” he said “If that continues, we will lose population — and once that happens, the Irish language as a community language is put at risk,” he added.