Difríocht of opinion over budget funding

Contrasting views emerged at the October meeting of Cavan County Council regarding the €159M allocated in Budget 2026 to the Gaeltacht, Irish Language and Islands Programme - a €36 million (29%) increase on last year’s figure.

Irish language promoter and Sinn Féin councillor Stiofán Conaty described the allocation as “scraps” and “nowhere near what was demanded and needed".

His comments drew sharp responses from fellow gaelgóirs, Fianna Fáil’s Áine Smith and Cathaoirleach John Paul Feeley, who both challenged his remarks.

Cllr Conaty told the meeting he had joined 25,000 Irish speakers in Dublin last month to call for “proper investment” in the national language and Ireland’s Gaeltacht regions.

While he acknowledged the increase was the result of years of lobbying by Conradh na Gaeilge and the wider Irish language community, he said it still fell short of what is required.

“Irish speakers are always left behind and constantly forced out onto the streets with the begging bowl - then told to be grateful for whatever scraps we get.

“We are sick and tired of scrounging and scraping for cothrom na féinne, for fair and proper investment. This budget gives us more scraps and fails to show real commitment or ambition,” he claimed.

The Ballyhaise man added that the funding would only go “a small way” towards reversing the “disastrous cuts” made to Irish language and Gaeltacht funding in previous years.

He meanwhile welcomed the recent appointment of Dara Calleary as senior minister for An Ghaeltacht, saying it highlighted the need for full cabinet-level representation for the Irish language.

“It goes to show that we need a senior minister who speaks Irish and actually cares about the language at the cabinet table at all times. Fine Gael saw fit to downgrade Irish to a junior ministry in 2011, which meant there was no single voice advocating for An Ghaeilge at cabinet for 13 years. That has undoubtedly obstructed the revival of the language,” he said.

Cllr Conaty went on to say that much of the progress achieved to date has happened “in spite of” government support rather than because of it.

“Even with this small and hard-won increase, we’re still lagging far behind comparable sectors like Arts and Heritage, and well below pre-Celtic Tiger crash funding. What this government, previous governments, and many local authorities fail to understand is that the Irish language is not just a ‘caitheamh aimsire’—a hobby. It cannot be an afterthought. It must be front and centre at both local and national levels. Equality for the Irish language is a rights-based issue, and you cannot put a price on rights.”

In response, Cllr Áine Smith, herself an Irish teacher, agreed that more investment was necessary, but argued that Budget 2026 represented a positive “starting point” from which to build.

“Minister Calleary has always had a grá for the language,” she said, defending the Minister’s commitment and describing the increased funding as a step in the right direction.

Cathaoirleach John Paul Feeley echoed her sentiments, stating that the budget allocation was “more than just a scratch on the table".

Their Fianna Fáil colleague Cllr Philip Brady also welcomed the dedicated funding, while admitting he found it “daunting” to follow speakers who moved fluently between English and Irish.

“It’s great to see the commitment behind this decision,” he said.

Cllr Feeley concluded the discussion by encouraging Cllr Conaty to write directly to Minister Calleary to make the case for further investment.

“There is always another budget,” he remarked.