User:Jnestorius/Gaeltacht

General overview

 * — includes anomalies of 1925 vs 1926 censuses; critical of taking censuses at face-value; own maps based on 1980s censuses and noting uninhabited areas
 * — maps 1926-29 and 1956-82, with historical synopsis

[https://www.oireachtas.ie/en/debates/debate/dail/1959-07-15/2/ dail/1959-07-15 Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Gaeltacht Areas: Irish Speaking Population]
 * There has been a number of different definitions of the Gaeltacht for various purposes. The Report of the Gaeltacht Commission, 1925, sets out the areas determined by the Commission as a result of a special census made in August of that year, to be Fíor-Ghaeltacht (i.e. Irish speaking) and Breac Gaeltacht (i.e. partly Irish speaking) areas. Two further definitions of the Gaeltacht were adopted for the purpose of the Housing (Gaeltacht) Act, 1929, and The School Meals (Gaeltacht) Act, 1933. More recently the Gaeltacht has been defined in the Gaeltacht Areas Order 1956, for the purpose of the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act, 1956, under which the separate Gaeltacht Department was set up.
 * The only Gaeltacht areas in respect of which separate statistics of the Irish speaking population are available are Fíor-Ghaeltacht and Breac-Ghaeltacht areas defined in the Report of the Gaeltacht Commission, 1925. Figures are not available however for the years specified by the Deputy. The most recent statistics which can be furnished relate to 1946. The total number of Irish speakers returned for Gaeltacht areas in that year was 192,963. For details I would refer the Deputy to Volume VIII of the Report of the 1946 Census.

dail/1971-01-28
 * Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for the Gaeltacht
 * the location of Fíor-Ghaeltacht areas in Ireland; and the number of native speakers in each Fíor-Ghaeltacht.
 * by what method he ascertains the number of native Irish speakers in each Fíor-Ghaeltacht area.
 * [synopsis] Since 1956 no official definition of "Fíor-Ghaeltacht". Census questions don't distinguish native speakers from other speakers. The 1956 act defines two eligible areas but without specifying boundary between them. None of which means we don't know the status of Irish in Gaeltacht areas; the main statistic is the fraction of students receiving the £10 deontas.

Education
[https://www.oireachtas.ie/ga/debates/debate/dail/1941-05-27/6/ dail/1941-05-27 Ceisteanna—Questions. Written Answers. - Education Statistics.]
 * Richard Mulcahy asked the Minister for Education if he will state in respect of each county the number of schools in which every subject is taught through the medium of Irish, distinguishing between schools in (a) the Fíor-Ghaeltacht, (b) Gaeltacht, (c) Breac Ghaeltacht, (d) Galltacht, and the total number of such schools in (a) the Fíor-Ghaeltacht, (b) Gaeltacht, (c) Breac Ghaeltacht, (d) Galltacht.
 * [response in part] Donegal (a) 71 (b) 12 (c) 10 (d) 14


 * dail/1942-05-27 deontas for (1) Fíor-Ghaeltacht, (2) Gaeltacht, (3) Breac-Ghaeltacht

Annual Report of the Department of Education: Hypothesis: "Gaeltacht" tout court may indicate areas included in the 1928+ statutory definitions but not in the 1925-6 commission's report?
 * 1930-31 p.26 has "Fíor-Ghaeltacht[/Breac-Ghaeltacht/Galltacht] of Gaeltacht Commission Report"
 * 1932-33 pp.35-38 has the circular [translated in English] explaining the scheme; only "Gaeltacht" and "Breac Gaeltacht".
 * 1933-34 pp.28-30 has the tripartite division, no explanation that I can see
 * 1934-35 pp.30-31: "Deóntas £2" (scheme introduced for 1933-4 school year) this has the explanation, I think; it has the "Fíor-Ghaeltacht"—"Gaeltacht"—"Breac-Ghaeltacht" division. "Fíor-Ghaeltacht" here includes Meath.
 * The same text is in dail/1936-03-24
 * Ag tagairt do scéim an dá phúnt, do céad-chuireadh an Scéim seo ar bun sa scoil-bhliadhain 1933-34, agus bhí ar bun arís i gcóir na scoil-bhliadhna 1934-35.
 * Ar a shon nach bhfuil ach breis bheag ar dhá bhliadhain ó deineadh an Scéim do chur ós chomhair an phobhail, ní misde a rádh go bhfuil athrughadh tuisciona maidir le labhairt na teangain tagaithe dá barr chun an phobail ins na ceanntracha Gaedhealacha, agus go bhfuil toradh fighanta cheana féin le feidhm na Scéime sin (dá ghiorracht é ó tosnuigheadh lei) chun an Ghaedhilg do chur fé mheas agus í choimeád mar bheo-theangain ins na h-áiteanna Fíor-Ghaedhealacha agus í chur dá labhairt ath-uair i n-áiteanna 'na raibh an Béarla ag gabháil nó gabhtha lastuas di go dtí so. Tá áiteanna 'na raibh an Béarla le cloisint chomh coitchiannta leis an Ghaedhilg dá bhliadhain ó soin, go bhfuil an Béarla curtha ar ceal anois ionnta agus áiteanna eile gur fánach an uair go dtí le goirid a cloistí an teanga Ghaedhilge ach ó bhéalaibh na sean-daoine, agus anois tá an Ghaedhilg á h-úsáid go coitchiannta mar ghnáth-urlabhra 'na lán tighthe.
 * Tá de thoradh na Scéime seo i 12 Scoil-cheanntracha, a áirmhigheadh go dtí so mar Ghaedhealtacht, go bhfuil an Ghaedhilg dá labhairt coitchiannta anois i dtighthe na nadaoine agus go bhfuil sí ag an aos óg ag teacht ar scoil an chéad lá dhóibh. Áirmhightear anois na scoil-cheanntracha sin mar Ceanntracha Fíor-Ghaedhealacha fé Riaghail 121 de'n Chórus. Tá ceithre cinn des na scoil-cheanntracha san i dTír Chonaill; ceithre cinn díobh i gConndae na Gaillimhe, trí cinn díobh i gConndae Chiarraighe agus ceann amháin i gConndae Phortláirge.
 * Notes:
 * "Áirmhightear anois na scoil-cheanntracha sin mar Ceanntracha Fíor-Ghaedhealacha fé Riaghail 121 de'n Chórus" = "these 12 school districts have been reckoned "Fíor-Ghaeltacht districts" for the purposes of Rule 121 of the System". Rule 121 as translated in the 1932-33 report mentions "Gaeltacht" and "Breac Gaeltacht" but not "Fíor-Ghaeltacht"; was Rule 121 modified in the interim? Could it be that the deontas was not paid [to save money] in "Fíor-Ghaeltacht" areas, on the basis that there was no danger to the language there? [i.e. redefining the areas as something other than  "Gaeltacht" and "Breac Gaeltacht" would ipso facto remove them from the scope of Rule 121] But no, that is disproven by the table showing preceisely that it was paid there.
 * 4 in Donegal, 4 in Galway, 3 in Kerry, 1 in Waterford: The ensuing table [in the Report, not the Dáil speech] is broken down and includes Fíor-Ghaeltacht numbers in Mayo, Cork, and Meath. Possibly Mayo and Cork cross the county bounds? Meath is footnoted "The colony that moved from Connemara to Rathcarn" which is inadequate as an explanation — are the children boarders in Connemara, or is their local school an exception to Rule 121, or is it a 13t erroneously omitted from the list of 12?
 * 1937-38 p.138 Table 27 has 4 columns, one headed "Fíor-Ghaeltacht fé láthair" and 3 headed "Ar an 30adh Meitheamh, 1938", latter subdivided into "Gaeltacht", "Breac Ghaeltacht", and "Galltacht"; again, not explained.
 * 1948-49
 * p.10 has "Fíor-Ghaeltacht" "Gaeltacht" and "Breac-Ghaeltacht" for Deontas £5 statistics, doesnt explain meaning
 * pp.75-77, Tables 12-15 have tripartite "Fíor-Ghaeltacht" "Breac-Ghaeltacht" and "Galltacht" division


 * Ciculars (not softcopy) include:
 * 1931 9/31 Special Grants for Certain National Schools in the Fior Gaeltacht
 * 1936 1/36 Fogra do na hAithreacha agus do na Maitheacha san nGaeltacht agus san mBreach-Gaeltacht
 * 1946 18/46 Provision of 5 pounds for children attending school in Gaeltacht
 * 1946 19/46 Deontas £5 do thuismitheoiri no caomhnoiri scolaire lae in Mean-Scola sa ghaeltacht agus sa bhreac-ghaeltach
 * 1955 11/55 Grants for Gaeltacht Children
 * dail/1988-05-10 £10 deontas not broken by Gaeltacht type.

dail 2010-07-01 deontas, scéim labhairt na Gaeilge

Gaeltacht Commission 1925–6
Report of Coimisiún na Gaeltachta 1926: Table II (pp.79-105) lists all DEDs in 1925 special census, marking those "Irish speaking" or "partly Irish speaking" "The Commission appointed to inquire into the Preservation of the Gaeltacht has the honour to report as follows 1. The Commission was appointed by Order of the Executive Council dated 27th January, 1925. Its Terms of Reference were :—
 * "To inquire and report to the Executive Council as to the percentage of Irish Speakers in a district which would warrant its being regarded as (a) an Irish speaking district, or (b) a partly Irish speaking district, and the present extent and location of such districts."
 * "To inquire and make recommendations as to the use of Irish in the administration of such districts, the educational facilities therein, and any steps that should be taken to improve the economic condition of the inhabitants."

15. After an examination of the figures thus obtained, it was considered by the Commission desirable and feasible to have a general enumeration of population (Irish Speaking and non-Irish Speaking) made over those areas in which the figures in the 1911 Census indicated that considerable numbers of Irish Speakers might be located. Accordingly, it was arranged with the Department of Justice that during the enumeration by the Gárda Síochána of the Agricultural Statistics in the months of July and August, 1925,[* The decision to take a general Census in April, 1926, was not arrived at until September, 1925.] an enumeration of Population (Irish Speaking and non-Irish Speaking) would be made over the following areas : —
 * SPECIAL GENERAL ENUMERATION:
 * (1) The Counties of :—
 * DONEGAL.
 * MAYO.
 * GALWAY, excluding the Urban District of Ballinasloe.
 * CLARE, excluding the Urban District of Ennis and the Rural Districts of Limerick No. 2 and Scarriff.
 * KERRY, excluding the Urban District of Tralee.
 * CORK, excluding the Urban Districts of Mallow, Fermoy, and Cobh, and the County Borough of Cork.
 * WATERFORD, excluding the County Borough of Waterford.
 * (2) In the Counties of :—
 * SLIGO — The Rural Districts of Boyle No. 2; Dromore West; Tobercurry; and in Sligo Rural District area, the District Electoral Divisions of Ballymote, Ballynakill, Bricklieve, Carrickbanagher, Drumcolumb, Drumfin, Lakeview, Lisconny, and Riverstown.
 * ROSCOMMON — The Rural District of Castlereagh.
 * LIMERICK — The Rural Districts of Glin and Newcastle.
 * TIPPERARY — The Rural District of Clogheen.

16. For the purpose of this enumeration the expression "Irish Speaker" was defined, in the instructions, to enumerators, as follows :—
 * INSTRUCTION 2:—
 * For the purposes of this inquiry an 'Irish Speaker' is a person possessing an ordinary conversational knowledge of Irish. A person therefore, who cannot converse in Irish should be returned as a 'Non-Irish Speaker,' except in the case of young children referred to in Instruction 3.
 * INSTRUCTION 3:—
 * SPECIAL CARE should be taken in entering particulars for children under seven years of age. Young children not yet able to speak should be included:—
 * (a) as 'Irish Speakers under 7 years' when their older brothers and sisters (or their parents where there are no older children) possess an ordinary conversational knowledge of Irish.
 * (b) as 'Non-Irish Speakers under 7 years' when their older brothers and sisters (or their parents where there are no older children) do not possess an ordinary conversational knowledge of Irish.
 * 17. The following summaries of the results of the special enumeration are given as the Second Appendix to this Report:—
 * (a) Summaries showing the total population and the Irish Speaking population, by County and by Urban and Rural District, according to the Census Returns of 1901 and 1911, and the special Enumeration of 1925, with comparisons of change. (Table I.)
 * (b) Returns showing, by County and by Urban and Rural District and District Electoral Division, the Irish Speaking and non-Irish Speaking populations of different ages in 1925, together with some comparison figures from the 1911 Census. (Table II.)
 * (c) Graphs, for each County, showing the percentage of Irish Speakers in the total population and the rate of change of this percentage, by County from 1871 to 1925, and by Urban and Rural District from 1901 to 1925. (Table III.)


 * DEFINITION OF IRISH AND PARTLY IRISH SPEAKING DISTRICTS:
 * 18. The Commission has been asked to state the percentage of Irish Speakers in a district which would warrant its being regarded as (a) an, Irish Speaking district, or (b) a Partly Irish Speaking district, and to indicate the present extent and location of such districts. The Commission considers that the purpose of such differentiation must be to distinguish in the present circumstances between—
 * (a) a district in which the Irish language may and should be restored at once in matters of education, administration, and for general purposes, to the position that, for example, the French language occupies in fact in France, and the English language in England; and
 * (b) a district in which the Irish language may and should be restored to such a position, by gradual processes, at the earliest possible moment.
 * 19. Having carefully considered the facts disclosed by the various Census Returns, together with the evidence tendered and the position as actually seen by the Commissioners in the course of their local enquiries, the Commission recommends that, where 80 per cent, or more of the population of a district is Irish Speaking the district be regarded as an "Irish Speaking District," regardless of the extent to which English may have an ascendancy in daily use under the circumstances of to-day; and that where not less than 25 per cent, and not more than 79 per cent, of the population of any district is Irish Speaking it be regarded as a "Partly Irish Speaking District".
 * 20. Certain radical changes in the position of the language, both in education and in administration, will be necessary before Irish in the Irish Speaking Districts will occupy the position which the English language occupies in England. Eighty per cent, has been selected as the lower percentage of Irish Speakers that would warrant ,a district being regarded as an "Irish Speaking District," for the reasons that:—
 * (1) it provides a limited area over which concentrated effort should bring about the necessary changes in & short space of time;
 * (2) it provides an area over which these changes can be brought about immediately or in a short space of time, without inflicting appreciable inconvenience on any section of the people; and
 * (3) it provides an area invariably adjoining a "Partly Irish Speaking District" and at a point at which the percentage of Irish Speakers is so high that wherever any small unit of administration, such as a School area, Dispensary district, Gárda Síochána station or subdistrict, or Court district, contains any part of an "Irish Speaking District," the whole area of such unit may be treated as an Irish Speaking District without inflicting any undue inconvenience on any section of the people.
 * 21. In recommending 25 per cent, as the lower limit of the Partly Irish Speaking Districts the Commission has in mind the fact that if a lower percentage were taken it would be difficult, without careful local investigation, to ascertain what exactly might be implied by such percentage in wealth and vigour of language. At the 79 per cent, end of the scale, however, there are areas in which the possibility of a speedy restoration of the language to general use is great. These areas will be quickly affected by any action which will restore the prestige and the position of the language in the Irish Speaking Districts.

[in fact departed from this, especially to include an anglo town with Gaelic hinterland]


 * PERSONAL AND PLACE NAMES:
 * 110. The anglicisation of Personal and Place names has influenced very greatly the decay of the spoken language. The Commission recommends that particular attention be given to the restoration of the Irish forms of those names.
 * 111. There was a deliberate State policy under the British Administration to prevent the registration of the Irish form of names for Marriages and Births. The recent change of government has not yet brought about a satisfactory change in the operation of the machine. Not only is it necessary now that every facility should be given for the registration of names in Irish, but, in the Gaeltacht at least, every possible State encouragement should be given for such registration, and all books and forms used in connection with such registration should be in Irish. In addition, persons, in those districts particularly, should be encouraged to revert to the Irish form of their names, and provision should be made, by legislation if necessary, by which any person desiring to revert officially to the Irish form of his or her name may do so by a simple process and free of cost.
 * 112. The Ordnance Survey should be required to ascertain the proper Irish form of townland and other place names, beginning with the counties of Donegal, Mayo, Galway, Clare, Kerry, Cork and Waterford; and to prepare and issue maps incorporating these Irish forms. Government Departments and Local Bodies should, the Commission recommends, be obliged to use these Irish forms in future."

Commentary
Exposition of confusing details of 1926 definitions.

Court Rules
13/07/1926: High Court and Supreme Court Rules ORDER XXIX. Use of National Language of Saorstát Eireann in Courts.
 * 2. All summonses and notices to be served personally in the Gaedhealtacht, if in the English Language, may be accompanied by a translation thereof in Irish, and if not so accompanied shall be translated into Irish by one of the interpreters attached to the Central Office, and the party serving such summons or notice shall be bound to serve the Irish version along with the English original of the document in question.
 * 5. In this Order the expression "The Gaedhealtacht" shall mean the geographical area comprising such districts of Saorstát Eireann as shall be from time to time declared by the Oireachtas.

Points:
 * Dáil 1 Jul 1926 The Court Officers Bill, which we have just passed, cannot be signed, I think, until the 9th instant, and the Rules of Court under the Courts of Justice Act, 1924, cannot be formally made until the Bill is law and has been signed.
 * Dáil 6 Jul 1926 consideration of draft rules of the Supreme Court and the High Court
 * Dáil 20 Jul 1926 It would seem that such consideration as is given for Irish speakers, and those anxious to use the language, in legal proceedings is given only to those who happen to reside in that indefinite territory known as the Gaeltacht. Irish speakers outside that district—if and when it will be defined —will have no rights.
 * Seanad 22 Jul 1926 The Gaeltacht has not, so far, been defined, nor, I understand, can it be defined until the Gaeltacht Commission has issued its report. Under these circumstances, I think that these rules might well be withheld until such time as that Commission has reported.
 * 1) I can't find any "declared by the Oireachtas" (presumably identical resolutions passed by each House)
 * 2) When was this order revoked, and did its replacement address the Gaeltacht question? I guess by S.I. No. 72/1962 since that's the earliest rule annulled by the current (1986) rules; SI 72/1962 Appendix Z(2) annuls "All Rules of Court made in pursuance or by virtue of the Courts of Justice Act, 1924, section 36, or the Court of Justice Act, 1936, section 68, and in force immediately before these Rules come into operation."

S.I. No. 72/1962 - Rules of the Superior Courts, 1962 (PDF, 464MB) Order 106
 * 2. Any summons, petition or notice to be served personally in the Gaeltacht, if in English, may be accompanied by a translation thereof in Irish, and if not so accompanied shall be translated into Irish by one of the interpreters, and the party serving such summons, petition or notice shall be bound to deliver an Irish translation along with the English copy of the document in question.
 * 5. In this Order the expression "the Gaeltacht" shall mean the geographical area comprising such districts of Ireland as shall be from time be time declared by the Oireachtas.

(Current) Rules of the Superior Courts Order: 120 Interpreters and translations
 * 2. Any summons, petition or notice to be served personally in the Gaeltacht, if in English, may be accompanied by a translation thereof in Irish, and if not so accompanied shall be translated into Irish by one of the interpreters, and the party serving such summons, petition or notice shall be bound to deliver an Irish translation along with the English copy of the document in question.
 * 5. In this Order the expression "the Gaeltacht" shall mean the geographical area comprising such districts of Ireland as shall be from time to time declared by the Oireachtas.

Acts of the Oireachtas and associated SIs
irishstatutebook search
 * "gaeltacht"
 * "gaedhealtacht"

SR&O No. 33/1928 - Local Offices and Employments (Gaeltacht) Order, 1928 "the expression "the Gaeltacht" means and includes the areas specified in the second schedule to this Order" -- list of DEDs in 9 counties incl Sligo Clare Tipperary
 * made under the Local Government (Temporary Provisions) Act 1923, s.15
 * Note the 3-year deadline was continually extended up to 1966
 * under Local Government Act 1941 s.19:
 * S.I. No. 97/1943 - Local Offices (Gaeltacht) (Amendment) Order, 1943 amends the 1928 order — just says "keep 1928 et seq in force as though under 1941 act rather than 1923 act"; doesn't redefine Gaeltacht etc.
 * S.I. No. 76/1944 - Local Officers (Irish Language) Regulations, 1944 is more a restatement of the 1928 order, with its own Gaeltacht defn (I think it's the same area as the 1928). I guess some functions from 1941 act not in 1923 act were handled in parallel rather than by augmenting 1928-43 orders.

Housing (Gaeltacht) Act, 1929 s.2 Extent of Gaeltacht
 * (1) For the purposes of this Act but no further or otherwise the Gaeltacht shall be deemed to comprise the several district electoral divisions mentioned in the Schedule to this Act.
 * (2) The Minister may by order, whenever he considers it expedient so to do on account of local variations in the numbers or distribution of Irish-speaking persons, amend the Schedule to this Act by adding thereto any district electoral division neither mentioned nor then included by amendment therein or deleting therefrom any district electoral division mentioned therein or previously added thereto, and whenever any such amendment of the said Schedule is so made this Act shall as respects grants under this Act sanctioned while such amendment is in operation and everything done in consequence of the making or sanctioning of any such grant be construed and have effect with and subject to such amendment.
 * (3) Every order made by the Minister under this section shall be laid before each House of the Oireachtas as soon as may be after it is made, and if a resolution is passed by either such House within the next subsequent twenty-one days on which that House has sat after such order is laid before it annulling such order, such order shall be annulled accordingly but without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done under such order.


 * Schedule incl Cavan Leitrim Limerick Louth Roscommon seanad/1929-12-11 "The Schedule is, therefore, based on the 1926 census of electoral areas which are 25 per cent. Irish-speaking or more"
 * SIs with "Housing (Gaeltacht) Act, 1929" no matches overriding 1929 Schedule

School Meals (Gaeltacht) Act, 1930 s.2 Extent of Gaeltacht For the purposes of this Act but no further or otherwise the Gaeltacht shall be deemed to comprise only the several district electoral divisions mentioned in the Schedule to this Act.
 * Schedule Cork Donegal Galway Kerry Mayo

Vocational Education Act, 1930 s.103(4) The Minister may, by order made under this sub-section, declare that any particular portion or portions of Saorstát Eireann specified in such order shall form part of the Gaeltacht, and whenever any such order is made the portion or portions of Saorstát Eireann to which such order relates shall be deemed for the purposes of this section but no further or otherwise to form part of the Gaeltacht.
 * S.I. No. 85/1933 - Vocational Education (Gaeltacht) Order, 1933 DEDs in 7 counties incl Clare and Waterford
 * SIs with "Vocational Education Act, 1930" and Gaeltacht no matches overriding 85/1933

Widows' and Orphans' Pensions Act, 1937 Schedule inserted into Widows' and Orphans' Pensions Act, 1935 Schedule Rule I, Sub-rule (I)(b) [exclusion from means test]
 * "any income received as bonus under a scheme, administered by the Minister for Education, for the making of special grants to parents or guardians, resident in the Gaeltacht or Breac-Ghaeltacht, of children attending primary schools"
 * preserved by Social Welfare Act, 1948 s.57
 * and Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 1981 Third Schedule, 1(4)(c)
 * any income arising from a bonus under a scheme administered by the Minister for Education for the making of special grants to parents or guardians resident in the Gaeltacht or Breac-Ghaeltacht (as defined in such scheme) of children attending primary schools
 * and Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 1993 Third Schedule
 * 1(2)(c) [as 1981 1(4)(c)]
 * 1(4)(c) [Minister for the Gaeltacht rather than Minister for Education]
 * and Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 SCHEDULE 3 Table 2 Ref. 15:
 * [Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs]; "Breac Ghaeltacht" without hyphen

Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act, 1956 s.2
 * (1) For the purposes of this Act the Gaeltacht shall comprise the areas for the time being determined to be Gaeltacht areas by order under this section.
 * (2) The Government may from time to time by order determine to be Gaeltacht areas specified areas, being substantially Irish-speaking areas and areas contiguous thereto which, in the opinion of the Government, ought to be included in the Gaeltacht with a view to preserving and extending the use of Irish as a vernacular language


 * S.I. No. 245 of 1956 — Gaeltacht Areas Order 1956 6 counties by DED and townland
 * S.I. No. 200 of 1967 — Gaeltacht Areas Order 1967 adds Meath
 * S.I. No. 192 of 1974 — Gaeltacht Areas Order 1974 adds Kerry, Waterford
 * S.I. No. 350 of 1982 — Gaeltacht Areas Order 1982 adds Cork Meath

Údarás na Gaeltachta Act, 1979 s.2(1) In this Act ... "the Gaeltacht" means
 * [original text] the areas for the time being determined to be Gaeltacht areas by order under section 2 of the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act, 1956
 * [as modified by Gaeltacht Act 2012 s.15(a)] the areas for the time being determined to be Gaeltacht areas by order under section 2 of the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act, 1956 and areas designated by order under section 7 (2) of the Gaeltacht Act 2012 to be Gaeltacht Language Planning Areas

Gaeltacht Act 2012 Part II Following seems to imply that "Gaeltacht area" can be reduced but not increased, and that "Gaeltacht Language Planning Areas" can only include "Gaeltacht areas". ";6.—Definitions (Part 2):
 * In this Part—
 * “Gaeltacht area” means an area that was before the passing of this Act determined to be a Gaeltacht area by order made under section 2 of the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1956 and continued to be such an area by section 7 (1);
 * “Gaeltacht Language Planning Area” means an area designated by order under section 7 (2) to be a Gaeltacht Language Planning Area;
 * “town” means a place the population of which, as ascertained by the census of population which for the time being is the last published census of population, exceeds 1,000.


 * 7.— Gaeltacht Language Planning Areas:
 * (1) An area that was, before the commencement of this section, determined by order made under section 2 of the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1956 to be a Gaeltacht area shall, notwithstanding the repeal of that section by section 5 (1), continue to be a Gaeltacht area.
 * (2) The Minister may, by order, designate, by reference to electoral divisions, a specified area comprised of—
 * (a) a Gaeltacht area,
 * (b) a part of a Gaeltacht area,
 * (c) more than one Gaeltacht area,
 * (d) parts of more than one Gaeltacht area, or
 * (e) an area, or part of an area, the subject of an order under subsections (5), (10)(b) or (13)(b),
 * to be a Gaeltacht Language Planning Area in accordance with this section.
 * (4) An organisation based in or adjacent to one of the Gaeltacht areas concerned may apply to Údarás na Gaeltachta to be an organisation selected under subsection (6).
 * (5) Where no organisation applies under subsection (4), the Minister may make an order declaring that the area concerned, the subject of a notice under subsection (3), is no longer a Gaeltacht area and the date after which it shall not be a Gaeltacht area.
 * (6) Údarás na Gaeltachta shall select, in relation to an area the subject of a notice under subsection (3), an organisation that has applied under subsection (4) and that, in the opinion of Údarás na Gaeltachta, is the organisation that is the most capable of preparing a plan the purpose of which is to provide for and encourage the increased use of the Irish language in the family, educational, public, social, recreational and commercial life of the area concerned (in this section referred to as an “Irish language plan”), in accordance with prescribed language planning criteria, and when it has done so, it shall notify that organisation in writing of the selection.
 * (13) Where the Minister, having regard to prescribed language planning criteria, does not approve of an Irish language plan submitted to him or her, and the Minister is of the opinion that there is no reasonable prospect that the organisation concerned can submit a plan which meets the requirements of subsection (6), within a reasonable time, the Minister may—
 * (b) if no such organisation has applied to prepare that Irish language plan, by order declare that the area concerned, the subject of a notice published under subsection (3), is no longer a Gaeltacht area and the date after which it shall not be a Gaeltacht area.


 * 9.— Gaeltacht Service Towns:
 * (1) The Minister may, by order, designate a specified town to be a Gaeltacht Service Town in accordance with this section, where the town concerned is situated in or adjacent to a Gaeltacht Language Planning Area if there are available in that town—
 * (a) public services for the Gaeltacht Language Planning Area, and
 * (b) social, recreational and commercial facilities that are of benefit to the Gaeltacht Language Planning Area.
 * (5) Údarás na Gaeltachta shall select, where the town concerned is situated in a Gaeltacht Language Planning Area and is the subject of a notice under subsection (2), an organisation that has applied under subsection (3) and that, in the opinion of Údarás na Gaeltachta, is the organisation that is the most capable of preparing a plan the purpose of which is to provide for and encourage the increased use of the Irish language in the family, educational, public, social, recreational and commercial life of the town concerned (in this section referred to as an “Irish language plan”), in accordance with prescribed language planning criteria, and when it has done so, it shall notify that organisation in writing of the selection.
 * (6) Foras na Gaeilge shall select, where the town concerned is situated otherwise than in a Gaeltacht Language Planning Area and is the subject of a notice under subsection (2), an organisation that has applied under subsection (3) and that, in the opinion of Foras na Gaeilge, is the organisation that is the most capable of preparing an Irish language plan, in accordance with prescribed language planning criteria, and when it has done so, it shall notify that organisation in writing of the selection.


 * 11.— Irish Language Networks:
 * (1) The Minister may by order designate a specified community, other than a community in a Gaeltacht Language Planning Area or a Gaeltacht area, to be an Irish Language Network.
 * (2) A community specified in an order made under subsection (1) shall be a community which—
 * (a) supports the use of the Irish language, and
 * (b) has agreed to the implementation of an Irish language plan referred to in subsection (3).
 * (3) An organisation within a community to which subsection (2) applies and which Foras na Gaeilge considers to be representative of the community concerned may prepare, with the assistance of Foras na Gaeilge, an Irish language plan to be implemented by that community and submit that plan to the Minister."

seanad/2012-06-21