Senator Pádraig Ó Céidigh launches report by Maynooth University’s All-Island Research
Observatory (AIRO), which aims to inform planning in the seven Gaeltacht areas
A new report by the All-Island Research Observatory (AIRO) at Maynooth University launched today by Senator Pádraig Ó Céidigh aims to support the development of Gaeltacht regions and enhance the lives of people living in these communities.
Speaking at the launch at the Oireachtas Na Samhna Festival in Killarney, Senator Ó Céidigh said the report provided a very detailed socio-economic profile of the seven Gaeltacht areas in Ireland and of the associated Limistéar Pleanála Teanga (LPTs), or Language Planning Areas.
“The level of detail within the report will enable community groups, researchers, planners and policy makers to firmly place robust, accurate and authoritative data at the foundation of all future decision making and funding applications,” Senator Ó Céidigh said.
“The report will be of great use to those tasked with developing and implementing Language Planning Area Plans and will also act as an incredible resource on the status of Gaeltacht Areas within the Local Economic and Community Plans for the counties of Donegal, Mayo, Galway, Kerry, Cork, Waterford and Meath.”
The report ‘Socio-Economic Profile of the Seven Gaeltacht Areas in Ireland’ was co-funded by the Irish Research Council (IRC) and Senator Ó Céidigh’s office.
The Director of the All-Island Research Observatory (AIRO) at Maynooth University, Justin Gleeson, described the report as “an extremely rewarding piece of work for all of the AIRO team”.
“For the last number of years we have been developing evidence baseline projects to support key national and regional policies such as the National Planning Framework and the Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies.
“Working with Senator Ó Céidigh, we have brought all of our expertise and knowledge to the development of this report. I hope that it will be of great use in supporting future planning and policy work for the Gaeltacht areas in Ireland.”
Also speaking at the launch, the Director of the Irish Research Council, Peter Brown said: “The Irish Research Council is delighted to have co-funded this research with Senator Ó Céidigh’s office. The core of the Council’s work is enabling a wide range of stakeholders in society to benefit from the work of Ireland’s research community. The expertise of the All-Island Research Observatory (AIRO) in Maynooth University, applied to the rich data sets on Gaeltacht communities that is now available, has produced new understandings and insights that the Council hopes will be harnessed to the full by all interested parties.”
Senator Ó Céidigh thanked the Irish Research Council for co-funding the report and the Central Statistics Office (CSO) for the publication of an incredible array of Census 2016 statistics.
“I would also like to acknowledge AIRO, the All-Island Research Observatory at Maynooth University, for their expertise and professionalism,” he said.
“Building on from this report the intention is to invite public submissions and activate further qualitative research in relation to those regions. This report will no doubt assist in the development of new initiatives that strengthen the multifaceted resource that are Ireland’s Gaeltacht communities.”
He added that the report’s launch “could not happen without the support of An tOireachtas and I very much appreciate their continued support”.
English report
Tuarascáil as Gaeilge
Seoladh tuarascáil Ollscoil Mhá Nuad ar na Ceantair Ghaeltachta ag Oireachtas na Samhna i gCill Áirne
Tá an Seanadóir Pádraig Ó Céidigh tar éis tuarascáil scríofa ag an Ionad Breathnaithe um Thaighde Uile-Éireann (AIRO) de chuid Ollscoil Mhá Nuad a sheoladh óir tá sé mar phríomhchuspóir ag an tuarascáil cuidiú le pleanáil sna seacht gceantar Gaeltachta.
Seoladh tuarascáil nua leis an Ionad Breathnaithe um Thaighde Uile-Éireann (AIRO) de chuid Ollscoil Mhá Nuad inniu ag an Seanadóir Pádraig Ó Céidigh. Is iad príomhchuspóirí na tuarascála ná tacaíocht a thabhairt chun ceantair Ghaeltachta a fhorbairt agus saolta na ndaoine ina gcónaí sna ceantair seo a fheabhsú.
Ag labhairt ag an seoladh ag Oireachtas na Samhna i gCill Áirne inniu, dúirt an Seanadóir Ó Céidigh gur thug an tuarascáil próifíl shocheacnamaíoch an-chuimsitheach ar na seacht gceantar Gaeltachta in Éirinn agus ar na Limistéir Pleanála Teanga a bhaineann leo.
Dúirt an Seanadóir Ó Céidigh, “go gcuirfidh an tuarascáil agus an leibhéal sonraí atá inti ar chumas grúpaí pobail, lucht taighde, lucht pleanála agus lucht ceaptha beartas sonraí treisithe, cruinne agus údarásacha a chur mar bhonn le gach cinneadh agus le gach iarratas ar mhaoiniú a dhéanfar as seo amach.”
“Is mór an áis a bheidh sa doiciméad do na daoine sin a bhfuil de chúram orthu Limistéir Pleanála Teanga a fhorbairt agus a chur i ngníomh agus is acmhainn iontach a bheidh ann ó thaobh stádas na gceantar Gaeltachta a shuíomh sna Pleananna Eacnamaíochta agus Pobail Áitiúla do chontaetha Dhún na nGall, Mhaigh Eo, na Gaillimhe, Chiarraí, Chorcaí, Phort Láirge agus na Mí.”
Bhí an tuarascáil den teideal “Próifíl Shocheacnamaíoch de na seacht gCeantar Gaeltachta in Éirinn” cómhaoinithe ag an gComhairle um Thaighde in Éirinn agus ag Oifig an tSeanadóra Uí Chéidigh.
Rinne an Stiúrthóir ar an Ionad Breathnaithe um Thaighde Uile-Éireann (AIRO) de chuid Ollscoil Mhá Nuad, Justin Gleeson, cur síos ar an tuarascáil mar “thionscadal thar a bheith luachmhar dúinn go léir ar an bhfoireann AIRO”.
“Le blianta beaga anuas tá tionscadail fhianaise bhonnlíne á bhforbairt againn chun tacaíocht a thabhairt do phríomhpholasaithe náisiúnta agus réigiúnacha mar aon leis an gCreat Náisiúnta Pleanála agus leis na Straitéisí Spásúlachta agus Eacnamaíochta Reigiúnacha.
“Ag obair i gcomhar leis an Seanadóir Ó Céidigh, táimid tar éis tarraingt ar ár saineolas ar réimse leathan d’ábhair chun an tuarascáil seo a fhorbairt. Tá dóchas i mo chroí agam go gcabhróidh sí go mór amach anseo le pleanáil agus ceapadh beartais do na ceantair Ghaeltachta in Éirinn.”
Ag labhairt ag an seoladh chomh maith, dúirt Peter Brown, Stiúrthóir ar an gComhairle um Thaighde in Éirinn, “tá ríméad ar an gComhairle um Thaighde in Éirinn go bhfuil an taighde seo tar éis bheith cómhaoinithe againn i gcomhar le hoifig an tSeanadóra Uí Chéidigh. Is é croílár obair na Comhairle ná réimse leathan de pháirtithe leasmhara sa tsochaí a chumasú chun tairbhe a bhaint as obair atá á déanamh ag pobal taighde na hÉireann. S’éard atá tarlaithe anseo ná go bhfuil an saineolas atá ag an Ionad Breathnaithe um Thaighde Uile-Éireann tagtha le chéile leis na sonraí saibhre ar na ceantair Ghaeltachta atá ar fáil anois chun tuiscintí agus léargaisí nua a chur ós comhair an phobail. Tá dóchas ar an gComhairle go dtiocfaidh na páirtithe leasmhara go léir i dtír ar an tuarascáil.”
Ghabh an Seanadóir Ó Céidigh a bhuíochas leis an gComhairle um Thaighde in Éirinn as an tuarascáil a chómhaoiniú agus leis an bPríomh-Oifig Staidrimh as iliomad réimsí staidrimh ó Dhaonáireamh 2016 a fhoilsiú.
Dúirt sé, “ba mhaith liom freisin aitheantas a thabhairt don Ionad Breathnaithe um Thaighde Uile-Éireann in Ollscoil Mhá Nuad as a gcuid saineolais agus gairmiúlachta le linn an taighde seo a dhéanamh.”
“Tá sé beartaithe, sa bhreis ar a bhfuil sa tuarascáil, aighneachtaí a iarraidh ón bpobal agus tuilleadh taighde cáilitheach a spreagadh i ndáil leis na réigiúin sin. Níl aon amhras ach go gcuideoidh an tuarascáil le tionscanaimh nua a fhorbairt chun go neartófar an acmhainn ilghnéitheach seo atá againn, sí sin an Ghaeltacht.”
Luaigh sé chomh maith agus é ag trácht ar sheoladh na tuarascála, “ní bheadh an seoladh seo ann gan tacaíocht ó Oireachtas na Gaeilge. Is mór agam an tacaíocht leanúnach uathu.”
Note: The All-Island Research Observatory (AIRO) undertakes academic and applied mapping research and produces spatial datasets and specialist tools to aid in their analysis. Based at Maynooth University Social Sciences Institute, AIRO is the leading spatial analysis and planning unit within the National Institute for Regional and Spatial Analysis (NIRSA).
AIRO provides a suite of free public mapping and data visualisation toolkits aimed at improving evidence informed planning and also undertakes contracted applied research and consultancy projects in the area of socio-demographic and economic analysis, spatial planning and environmental analysis. AIRO has been engaged in projects such as the National Planning Framework (NPF), Regional Spatial and Economic Strategies (RSES) as well as numerous Local Economic and Community Plans (LECP) for local authorities across Ireland.