Mayo minister publishes action plan for Irish Language Public Services
THE Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Dara Calleary, has announced that the Action Plan for Irish Language Public Services 2026-2028 has been approved by government.
The action plan, which is published on the department’s website, looks to take a holistic, measurable and practical approach to the implementation of the National Plan for Irish Language Public Services 2024-2030, which was published in October 2024.
Preparation involved extensive consultation and engagement across government and beyond, particularly as it relates to core public services and Gaeltacht areas. It also built on research carried out for the national plan itself, which demonstrated a clear interest in increasing Irish language competence among public sector staff and positivity towards the language in general.
Cross-cutting initiatives contained in the action plan look to enhance the provision of bilingual public services across the country - particularly in Gaeltacht areas - through a range of various measures. It focuses on developing the supportive structures and includes measures focused on capacity and awareness building, skills development and technology.
The plan places a particular emphasis on measures to be undertaken to achieve the overarching recruitment target that 20% of recruits to public sector bodies will be competent in Irish by the end of 2030.
Ultimately this will enable the normalisation of the Irish language as an integral part of the public service and will also empower speakers of the language to use it when accessing services.
Said Minister Calleary: “At a time when the level of good-will and positivity towards the language has never been higher, this ambitious plan sets out the clear and measurable steps to be taken across government in the years ahead towards achieving a truly bilingual public service, and indeed bilingual society, in line with Programme for Government commitments.
“This plan puts support and innovation at the heart of developments to come and I look forward to forging ahead with my government colleagues and other key stakeholder on this work, at this very exciting time for the Irish language. One example of this is FÍS ‘26 - a new conference supported by my department, that’s to bring young people together during Seachtain na Gaeilge to show them how Irish is shaping the future.
“The actions of this plan will also be of great support to other work to come under the Act, including the introduction of the language standards system, and other duties relating to correctly recording names, titles and addresses in Irish and the availability of official forms in Irish or bilingually. I look forward to announcing more on all of this soon.”
A copy of the Action Plan for Irish Language Public Services 2026-2028 can be found here.