Gormley: Irish place names in Gaeltacht still favoured

AS ENVIRONMENT Minister John Gormley takes steps to resolve the dispute over the name of Dingle/An Daingean in Co Kerry, he has stressed that the state still favours the use of Irish place names within Gaeltacht areas.

And any future plebiscites to ascertain the views of the population living within the area regarding the change of a place name must be held in secret, he has ruled.

He proposes to introduce legislative changes aimed at resolving the dispute concerning the name of An Daingean, while giving greater recognition to the Irish language where place name changes are proposed.