“Housing Prices Are Killing the Gaeltacht” – Brolly
Tá cáineadh déanta ag Gemma Uí Bhrollaigh ar an rialtas as gan pobail labhartha Gaeilge a chosaint ar phraghsanna tithíochta atá ag dul i méid.
Gemma Brolly has criticised the failure of the government to protect Irish Speaking communities from increasing housing prices.
Ag labhairt di inniu, mhínigh Uí Bhrollaigh: “Tá an ghéarchéim tithíochta ag déanamh difear d’achan duine ar fud na tíre. Cuireann sí cuid mhór dár slí maireachtála i mbaol. Ar na hiarmhairtí is buaine a d’fhéadfadh a bheith aige tá an scriosadh atá á dhéanamh ar ár n-oidhreacht chultúrtha. Cé gur fadhb í an easpa tithíochta atá ag cur brú ollmhór ar cheantair Ghaeltachta leis na blianta, tá líon mór tithe sa Ghaeltacht á gceannach mar thithe saoire faoi láthair. Tá an dá shaincheist sin ag cur le bánú na Gaeltachta.”
Speaking today, Brolly said “The housing crisis is affecting everyone across the country. It threatens so much of our way of life. Perhaps one of its longest lasting legacies will be the destruction of our cultural heritage. While lack of housing has put immense pressure on Gaeltacht areas for years, a significant number of houses in the Gaeltacht are being bought up as holiday homes. Both of these issues are hollowing out the Gaeltachts as functional communities”
Anuas air sin, dúirt Uí Bhrollaigh: “Le blianta beaga anuas, tháinig meath gasta ar an Ghaeltacht. Idir 2011 agus 2016, tháinig laghdú níos mó ná 2000 duine ar dhaonra na Gaeltachta. As na daoine atá fágtha inti, níl Gaeilge líofa ach ag 66.3% den daonra. Má ligeann muid don Ghaeltacht dul in éag, caillfidh muid nasc fadbhunaithe idir muid féin agus stair ár sinsear.”
Brolly continued “The past few years have seen a rapid decline in the Gaeltacht. Between 2011 and 2016, Gaeltacht populations declined by over 2000 people. Of those who remain, only 66.3% could speak fluent Irish. If we allow the Gaeltachts to disappear, we’ll lose a deep connection to our people’s history”
“Tá beartais tithíochta Aontú iontach láidir, go háirithe maidir leis an bhrú tithíochta ar cheantair Ghaeltachta a laghdú. Tá sé ríthábhachtach go gcuirfeadh an rialtas cáin sách ard i bhfeidhm ar thithe folmha chun spreagadh a thabhairt d’úinéirí tithe tuilleadh tithe a chur ar ais ar an mhargadh ionas go mbeidh daoine in ann cónaí iontu. Tá brú á chur ag Aontú chun srianta maidir le cead pleanála a mhaolú ionas go mbeidh muintir na tuaithe in ann fanacht ina gceantair dúchais agus tithe a thógáil ar a dtalamh féin. Tá sé fíorthábhachtach go ndéanann muid ceantair inar féidir le pobal na Gaeilge maireachtáil de na ceantair Ghaeltachta arís”, a chríochnaigh Uí Bhrollaigh.
“Aontú’s housing policies are particularly strong in alleviating housing pressure on the Gaeltachts. It’s essential that the government implement a strong vacant properties tax to encourage homeowners to return houses to the market for people to live in. Aontú have been pushing to ease planning permission restrictions so that those from rural Ireland can remain living in their own areas and build on their own land. It’s essential that we make Gaeltacht communities liveable for Irish speakers again.” Concluded Brolly
CRÍOCH
