Criteria shake-up will mean new Gaeltacht areas

The landscape of Gaeltacht areas across the country could be dramatically changed under plans agreed by the Cabinet.

Areas designated as official Irish-speaking areas and which are entitled to State funding will now be decided according to linguistic criteria instead of by geography, which has been the position to date.

The move means areas around the country, even in Dublin, could apply for the first time to be Gaeltacht designated regions.