▁role ▁of ▁the ▁Irish ▁language ▁in ▁the ▁Ga elt acht , ▁the ▁Irish - language - spe aking ▁area ▁of ▁Ireland . ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁established ▁at ▁the ▁inst ig ation ▁of ▁É am on ▁Ó ▁Cu ív , ▁ ▁the ▁then ▁Minister ▁of ▁State ▁at ▁the ▁Department ▁of ▁Arts , ▁Heritage , ▁Ga elt acht ▁and ▁the ▁Islands ▁and ▁its ▁work ▁completed ▁under ▁the ▁guidance ▁of ▁his ▁successor , ▁Mary ▁C ough lan . ▁ ▁The ▁Irish ▁Government ▁approved ▁the ▁publication ▁of ▁the ▁Commission ' s ▁report , ▁without ▁commit ment . ▁ ▁For ▁centuries , ▁there ▁has ▁been ▁a ▁steady ▁decl ine ▁in ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁native ▁Irish ▁speak ers ▁in ▁Ireland . ▁ ▁These ▁speak ers ▁are ▁now ▁concentr ated ▁in ▁scattered ▁rural ▁areas ▁known ▁collect ively ▁ ▁as ▁the ▁Ga elt acht ▁and ▁recent ▁reports ▁claim ▁that ▁in ▁several ▁of ▁these ▁areas ▁Irish ▁is ▁no ▁longer ▁effectively ▁a ▁community ▁language . ▁ ▁The ▁establishment , ▁subsequent ▁reporting , ▁and ▁relative ▁in action ▁on ▁the ▁recommend ations ▁of ▁the ▁Commission ▁should ▁be ▁seen ▁against ▁this ▁background . ▁ ▁The ▁Commission ▁reported ▁that ▁it ▁was ▁of ▁the ▁view ▁that ▁it ▁will ▁not ▁be ▁possible ▁to ▁maintain ▁the ▁Ga elt acht ▁as ▁an ▁area ▁in ▁which ▁Irish ▁remains ▁a ▁community ▁language ▁unless ▁a ▁fundamental ▁change ▁occurs ▁in ▁the ▁way ▁Irish ▁is ▁treated ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁status ▁of ▁Irish ▁in ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁country . ▁In ▁its ▁work , ▁it ▁foc uss ed ▁primarily ▁on ▁a ▁strateg ic ▁approach ▁to ▁finding ▁an