Gaelic League Criticise the Irish Government's Neglect of the Irish Language

News from the Gaelic League – Calls For Support of the Irish Government for the Irish Language and Gaeltacht

Five years in to the “20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030", the Gaelic League has condemned the lack of progress by the Irish government in support of the objectives outlined in the 20 year plan. Cóilín Ó Cearbhaill, President of Conradh na Gaeilge and Julian de Spáinn, General Secretary of Conradh na Gaeilge have each issued statements urging action by Dublin.  The position of the Gaelic League, the full text is below, is best summarized by the following excerpt: “... Conradh na Gaeilge believes that... governmental reports.. highlight the negligible attention the state has in general given to the language and the Gaeltacht in the past five years, and underlines the dire necessity for the Department of the Taoiseach to show leadership in the implementation of the 20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language.”

The Gaelic League (Conradh na Gaelige) are the main voluntary community organisation that promotes the Irish language in Ireland and abroad, The Gaelic League’s main aim is to reinstate the Irish language as the common tongue of Ireland.  Since its founding in 1893, members have been actively promoting Irish in every aspect of life in Ireland, from legal and educational affairs to the development of media and services through Irish.  Members of the Gaelic League are in the forefront of campaigns to strengthen the rights of the Irish speaking community.

The following is the full text from the League's website (linked below):

Conradh na Gaeilge is hugely disappointed with the lack of progress revealed in the five-year reports on the implementation of the 20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010 – 2030 published by all Government Departments today (Friday, 11 December 2015), and is calling on the Department of the Taoiseach to head up the promotion of the Strategy. Conradh na Gaeilge is also calling on the Taoiseach to urgently provide the necessary resources and appoint a Senior Minister for the Irish language and the Gaeltacht – as stated on page 10 of the Strategy itself – to implement the 20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010 – 2030

Conradh na Gaeilge recognises that important preliminary work has been done on certain sections of the 20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language in regards to language planning and the Gaeltacht Education Policy for example, and further acknowledges that the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht is not at fault if other Government Departments are not adhering to the spirit or aims of the Strategy. But Conradh na Gaeilge believes that the 16 governmental reports published today highlight the negligible attention the state has in general given to the language and the Gaeltacht in the past five years, and underlines the dire necessity for the Department of the Taoiseach to show leadership in the implementation of the 20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language.

Cóilín Ó Cearbhaill, President of Conradh na Gaeilge says:

“It is a cause for concern and disappointment to Conradh na Gaeilge that Government Departments are hindered in the effective implementation of the 20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language by the lack of appropriate cross-Departmental support from the government.

“While there has been good preparation work done by certain departments in relation to particular sections of the Strategy, Conradh na Gaeilge finds it hard to believe that some of the government reports published today, supposedly detailing five years’ cross-Departmental work, are less than a page long.”

An all-island investment plan recently agreed by over 70 Irish-language and Gaeltacht groups (including community and all-island organisations and their funding authorities) could create over 1,160 jobs and realise some of the goals of the 20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language within the community. In light of the lack of progress made by certain government departments in successfully providing for the Irish-speaking community under the Strategy to date, Conradh na Gaeilge is calling on the Government to allocate this targeted funding for the Irish language and the Gaeltacht.

Julian de Spáinn, General Secretary of Conradh na Gaeilge says:

“Neither the 20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language, nor any other state policy, will make any significant headway without the resources necessary to implement it in its entirety – it is as simple as that.

“Conradh na Gaeilge and the other community groups are looking for representative commitments to ensure that adequate investment is provided for the language, including the appointment of a Senior Minister to act on behalf of the Irish language and the Gaeltacht at Cabinet level, to ensure that the Strategy is implemented in full, and to ensure that sufficient resources are made available to this end.”

Conradh na Gaeilge is calling on the Department of the Taoiseach to assume leadership and responsibility for the 20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language, and to guarantee the resources and a Senior Minister needed to ensure the complete and effective implementation of the Strategy as a matter of urgency. Conradh na Gaeilge is most willing and happy to provide any assistance necessary to realise this important work on for the Irish language and the Gaeltacht.

https://cnag.ie/en/news/news-releases/759-conradh-na-gaeilge-hugely-disa...