The Minister of State for the Gaeltacht and Sport, Jack Chambers was in Castlebar yesterday and announced that he officially approved a language plan and funding of €560,000 for the Gaeltacht Service Town of Castlebar.

A Gaeltacht Service Town is a town that provides public and social services to the Gaeltacht community.

Status as a Gaeltacht Service Town is achieved when a language plan, prepared by the town's community, is approved under the Gaeltacht Act, 2012.

Castlebar is the seventh Gaeltacht Service Town identified so far under the language planning process.

The language plan was compiled by Gnó Mhaigh Eo, and language planning officer will be employed to implement the plan under the direction of the organisation and with the support of Foras na Gaeilge.

Foras na Gaeilge provides ongoing support to these Gaeltacht Service Towns and Irish Language Networks to prepare and implement language plans.