State bodies must spend 20% of ad budget on Irish language ads

The move will be a boost to gaeilgeoir media such as TG4, Radio na Gaeltachta and current affairs website Tuairisc

Jack Chambers, the Minister of State for the Gaeltacht, said the Official Languages Bill currently going through the Dáil would strengthen the use of Irish in public sector advertising. Picture: Rollingnews

All state bodies will be legally required to spend 20 per cent of their advertising budgets on Irish language adverts to increase the visibility of the language.

The move will be a boost to Irish language media like TG4, Radio na Gaeltachta and the current affairs website Tuairisc, because 5 per cent of the advertising spend by government departments and agencies will be ringfenced for them.

However, state bodies will be free to spend 15 ...