Gweedore in west Donegal is one of three Gaeltacht regions being considered for an affordable housing scheme designed to encourage the next generation of Irish speakers.
The initiative is a response to fears that a lack of affordable housing could drive Irish speakers away from the traditional Irish speaking areas and could damage the future survival of the language.
Gaeltacht authority, Údarás na Gaeltachta confirmed on Friday that €250,000 (£215,000) has been allocated to research and develop the scheme for Irish speakers in the west Donegal Gaeltact as well as in An Cheathrú Rua, Co Galway and An Rinn, Co Waterford.
Údarás na Gaeltachta is the regional authority responsible for the economic, social and cultural development of Gaeltacht areas in the Republic.
Údarás chairwoman, Mary Uí Chadhain said the initiative was necessary to support areas where Irish was the daily spoken language.
Ms Uí Chadhain said: “The housing crisis nationally presents a significant challenge to the next generation of Irish speakers who seek to live in Gaeltacht areas and as such is a threat to the continued use of the language as a living language in years to come.”
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Chief executive of Údarás, Tomás Ó Síocháin said a lack of housing meant existing job opportunities in Gaeltacht areas could not be filled.
“It is also a barrier to those from the Gaeltacht; those with family connections in the Gaeltacht and to Irish speakers who want to live where Irish is the community language,” Mr Ó Síocháin said.
He said the “affordable housing initiative” was a first step towards overcoming the challenges to Irish speakers in the Gaeltacht presented by the lack of housing.
