Had the Government waited any longer, the elections for the new board of Udaras na Gaeltachta threatened to be the first poll of the millennium. Usually held every five years, these elections - to be held on December 4th - have been delayed six months to allow the Government to complete new legislation which gives Udaras more board members and new powers.
Of 41 candidates in the running, only 17 will be successful. Another three people will be appointed to the board by the Minister of State for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, Mr Eamon O Cuiv. One of the three will be made chairperson.
Previously, there were 13 members, seven elected and six nominated by the Government.
Udaras is responsible for the industrial and linguistic development of Irish-speaking areas in seven geographically scattered counties: Galway, Cork, Kerry, Donegal, Meath, Waterford and Mayo. The new system will ensure that for the first time the smaller Gaeltachtai - Cork, Meath and Waterford - will have one representative on the Udaras board.
Fianna Fail have put forward 16 candidates and Fine Gael eight. Both can expect to add to their representation on the board.
Labour, the PDs and Independent Fianna Fail have two candidates each, Sinn Fein and Republican Sinn Fein one candidate each. Nine candidates are standing as Independents.
With only five women candidates, it seems the Gaeltacht is also a man's world.
The board will find itself under pressure from Gaeltacht activists to develop social housing for Gaeltacht families. They want to ensure that builders and county councils don't weaken strong Irish-speaking areas with housing schemes aimed at well-off outsiders.