More funding, better education and housing in the Gaeltacht will be among the demands at first national protest for the Irish language in over a decade.

Protestors will march this Saturday from Parnell Street to Leinster House.

Ard-Rúnaí of Conradh na Gaelige Julian De Spáinn said there will be thousands of people taking to the streets this weekend.

“They want to impress upon the Government that we don’t believe they’re taking the Irish language seriously enough,” he told Newstalk Breakfast.

“There are huge problems with the language and with the Gaeltacht, and they need to be addressed now.

“Just for example, we believe that the governments, since the foundation of the State, have never prioritised funding for the Irish language.

“0.1% is the amount they spend with Roinn na Gaeltachta, the Department of the Gaeltacht, and we believe that doesn’t show it’s a priority.”

Sign in Irish language welcoming visitors to the gaeltacht (Irish-speaking) part of county Meath in Ireland. Image: Alamy

According to Mr De Spáinn, while the Irish language is having a huge moment in popular culture at the moment, it has not been capitalised on by the Government.

He also said that a lack of housing for young people living in the Gaeltacht is leading to a decline in fluent speakers.

“We know at the moment that young people don’t have the opportunity to live where they’re from in the Gaeltacht,” Mr De Spáinn said.

“We need to address the housing in the Gaeltacht, but also, we’re looking at education.

“For years we’ve been saying that it’s a failing system at the moment; that over 50,000 students at the moment have exemptions, so we’re not catering to the needs of those students.”

Accommodations

Mr De Spáinn said there should be more of an effort made to accommodate students with a learning difficulty, or students from other countries in their study of Irish.

“Why couldn’t we have a system in the future where students could be able to do the Leaving Cert based on their oral Irish only if they have a written difficulty?” he said.

“Why couldn’t we have a system that includes students who come in from other countries instead of excluding them.

“[We’re] basically saying we want them to integrate into our society, but the Irish language is not part of that.

“We’re actually creating division for the future, and we believe that could be solved by introducing the common European framework reference of language sustem, which is a skills-based system.”

According to Mr De Spáinn, even after being independent for over 100 years, there is still no long-term plan to increase the number of Irish speakers in the country.

Main image: Irish flag.