CONRADH naGaeilge this week called for increased investment in Gaeltacht areas including those in Donegal, to revitalise the Irish language.
The advocacy group have said that the creation of 9,000 jobs in Gaeltacht areas by 2029 would require the doubling of government funding for the sector over the next five years.
An Plan Fáis 2024 to 2029 proposes increasing spending on Irish language from 0.2 to 0.4 per cent of annual state expenditure over the five year period.
The plan would see an increase in annual expenditure from some €94 million this year to €248 million by 2029 for the Department of the Galetacht, Gaeltacht development agency Údarás naGaeltachta and Foras na Gaeilge.
It also proposes an increase of €25.5 million in spending on Irish lanaguage initiatives in Northern Ireland.
Conradh na Gaeilge General Secretary Julian de Spáinn said yesterday: “If we are really serious as a country that we want to reverse the decline in the Gaeltacht, and support and encourage those with an interest in learning and using the language, then we need to invest in that goal.
The plan, running to 72 pages, was months in preparation and has been enndorsed by 138 Irish language and Gaeltacht groups.
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