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In a what may well be a turning point in the fight to restore the Celtic Tongue of Ireland to its rightful place, a coalition of  over 70 Irish Language and Gaeltacht  organisations have put forward an “All Ireland Investment Plan” targeting the creation of approximately 1,200 jobs primarily benefitting Gaelic speakers.  The Plan’s major backers are Conradh na Gaeilge (Gaelic league), the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) and Foras na Gaeilge (established under the Good Friday Agreement for the promotion of the Irish Language).

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

Plaid Cymru Leader Leanne Wood AM has said that the UK Government’s regressive Trade Union Bill must not apply to Wales and she has pledged that Plaid Cymru would do all it can to step any attempt to get legislative consent for the Bill in the Welsh Assembly.

The Plaid leader said:

Congratulations to Wales and Ireland who have qualified for the quarter-finals of the Rugby World Cup 2015. The top international teams contest the Rugby World Cup every four years. The three Celtic nations participating are Ireland, Wales and Scotland. Scotland must win their game against Samoa next Saturday to ensure qualification for the quarter-finals. Meanwhile England, the hosts of this years competition, crashed out after being defeated by Australia. England are the first World Cup hosts to fail to make it out of the group stages. 

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

A story about morale in the recently merged Scottish Police Force was sensationally broken by the SCOTSMAN newspaper on its front page with the alarming claim that ‘One on three police officers to quit in three years’. The story (derived from a Scottish Police Authority survey) was echoed in other areas of the Scottish media including the BBC with the emphasis (here quoted from the TIMES) that:

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

Last week the Isle of Man government introduced new work permit rules which it says are destined to make the Island more ‘business friendly’.

Control of Employment regulations that have existed on Mann for decades are an important protection for Manx working people and there is general support for the so called ‘work permit system’. However the regulations have not been liked by some elements of government or the business community for well over two decades but previous attempts to dismantle the regulations failed miserably.

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

Even Ukrainians locked in a conflict with their major energy supplier Russia currently have a better deal on gas prices than the Manx people.

Following revelations this week that Manx Gas would simultaneously cut prices but increase standing charges if we are not there already Manx people are certainly close to facing the highest prices in Europe for Gas.

In such a situation one would have thought the government would be taking a lead role in addressing what may as autumn turns to winter become a crisis.

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

“We don’t think Putin will be too alarmed at the next few days of sabre-rattling by NATO. It appears some of the French ‘sabres’ are a bit rusty!”

Looks like Vladimir Putin hasn’t got a lot to fear from the French Navy. With much vaunted NATO Exercise Joint Warrior (JW 15-2) just twenty four hours from getting underway it looks as if the French Aeronavale maritime reconnaissance participation has had to go home!

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

There is concern that jamming of GPS during the NATO Joint Warrior (JW 15-2) exercise which starts this weekend could pose a danger.

The major land, sea and air exercise will be one of the largest held for several years and ships, submarines and aircraft are already gathering ahead of the official exercise start time on Monday 5th October.

During the first stage of the exercise (JW 15-1) in April a Co Down fishing vessel was snagged by a Royal Navy submarine (although it was several weeks before responsibility was admitted).

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

Eventually after much trumpeting and a ‘media love-in’ that had become almost nauseating at times the Manx Reserve Force has ‘dug in’ at a disused school on the Isle of Man.

The Reserves have unveiled ‘50’ new recruits although figures are distorted somewhat by talk of 150 expressions of interest after ‘military-fest’ on Douglas promenade in the spring of this year.

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

The Celtic League have written to the Canadian High Commissioner expressing outrage that Canadian authorities tried to resolve via a ‘back room deal’ allegations about a so called ‘tax sham’ involving the Isle of Man which was exposed via the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

Earlier this week CBC in an update said ‘confidential discussions’ between authorities and the firm involved had broken down and the matter was proceeding in the Federal Courts (see link):