Strategy aims for 250,000 people to speak Irish daily

AN ambitious strategy seeks to increase the number of people using the Irish language in their daily lives from 83,000 to 250,000 over the next 20 years.

At the launch of the 20-year Strategy for the Irish Language yesterday, Gaeltacht Affairs Minister Pat Carey said if the strategy is followed, there was “no danger” of future generations stating that the Irish “chose to willingly abandon our native language”.

The strategy envisages co-ordinated action over nine areas in an attempt to revive the language both in Gaeltacht areas and across the island. In education, there will be an increased emphasis on Irish language teaching in initial teacher training.