Housing crisis threatens West Kerry Gaeltacht as locals are priced out

New research has revealed a growing gap between local incomes and house prices on the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry, according to the Irish Examiner. Councillors were warned that young residents are being forced to leave the area because they cannot afford local housing. [1]

The Irish Examiner reported that holiday homes and short-term lets now outnumber permanent residences in the center of the Corca Dhuibhne Gaeltacht. In Dingle town, researchers found 48 holiday homes for every 100 permanent homes. [1]

A Gaeltacht is a district in Ireland where the government officially recognizes Irish as the primary language spoken in the home. These districts were first formally recognized during the 1920s under a national policy to restore the Irish language. [2]

The housing pressure risks destroying the future of Irish as a community language. The Irish Examiner reported warnings that parts of the west Kerry Gaeltacht could be consumed by non-Irish speakers as local residents are displaced. [1]