Cluineann Teachtaí Dála agus Feisirí Pairliminte an t-éileamh ar Acht na Gaeilge sa Tuaisceart
February 25, 2014
SpeakTalkChat.com
February 25, 2014
Lá Gaeilge CLG i gColáiste na Rinne
February 25, 2014
Coiste Cultúrtha na Mumhan (Munster GAA) is pleased to announce that it will be organising an Irish language day in Coláiste na Rinne, An Rinn, Co Waterford on Saturday, 8th March 2014. This is the third year of the event which is hoped to attract people with an interest in GAA and an Ghaeilge from clubs throughout the country. The aim of the course is to promote our language and culture among members of the Association.
The day will include talks, workshops and discussions of topical matters in the GAA world. There will be numerous guest speakers on the day, all having strong GAA connections, including Míchéal Ó Muircheartaigh, Joe McDonagh, Liadh Ní Riada, Eoin Breathnach and Robert Frost. Cost of day course, including lunch, is €35.
Further information on www.munstergaa.ie or from Míchéal Ó Drisleáin at odrisleain@gmail.com or 087-7938709.
Príomhoide Tánaisteach, Laurel Hill Coláiste FCJ
February 24, 2014
Ó Cuirreáin resigns, Ó Domhnaill to be appointed by the President
February 24, 2014
Motion for nomination of An Coimisinéir Teanga passed in Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann
To coincide with Seán Ó Cuirreáin’s resignation from his role as An Coimsinéir Teanga at the weekend, crowds gathered in An Spidéal to thank the first ever appointed Coimisinéir Teanga for 10 years of valuable work and to show their dissatisfaction with the Civil Service’s approach to the Irish language and Gaeltacht communities.
The crowd marched from Oifig an Coimisinéara Teanga in An Spidéal to the office of the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in Na Forbacha where a Department officer accepted a letter addressed to the Minister of State Dinny McGinley T.D., written by the Gaeltacht and Irish speaking communities pleading with the Minister to take a stand on behalf of the language.
The letter asked Minster McGinley to seek a change of attitude and a change of policy from the Government and the amending of Acht na Gaeltachta 2012 to ensure that Gaeltacht boundaries be set according to linguistic criteria and the implementation of a clear policy to ensure the provision of Irish language services throughout the Civil Service to a satisfactory level.
Speaking at the march on Sunday, Seán Ó Cuirreáín thanked the crowd in attendance for the continuous support and he also wished the incoming Coimisinéir Teanga, rón Ó Domhnaill, well in his new role.
A motion regarding Rónán Ó Domhnaill’s nomination was passed in Dáil Éireann on Tuesday and in Seanad Éireann on Wednesday. While the nomination was welcomed in both Houses, many questions and concerns about the current state of the Irish language were raised.
Members of the Opposition expressed disappointment at Seán Ó Cuirreáin’s decision to resign and the outgoing Coimisinéir was praised for his work over the past ten years.
Members of the Oireachtas also praised the 10,000 that marched through the streets of Dublin as part of Lá Mór na Gaeilge which was held recently and the campaign’s demands were highlighted in both the Dáil and the Seanad. The Government’s overall approach to the Irish language was heavily criticised and it was advised that the needs of the Irish language and Gaeltacht communities be of utmost importance.
An Coimisinéir Teanga is appointed by the President of Ireland on the advice of the Government and it has been confirmed by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht that preparations are being made by Micheal D. Higgins’ office to appoint Rónán Ó Domhnaill very shortly.
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com
Céilí Mór & Féile i gCorcaigh
February 24, 2014
An dtaitníonn rince leat? Chuir ort do chuid bhróga agus téir chuig Sráid an Chapaill Bhuí ar an 2ú Márta! Beidh go leor Craic, Ceol agus Rince ann, chomh maith le margadh! Beidh an céilí agus an féile ar siúl mar chuid de Mhí na Gaeilge 2014. Bígí Linn!
Do you enjoy dancing? Put on your dancing shoes and go to Grand Parade on the 2nd of March. There will be plenty of music, dancing and craic, as well as a Market. The Céilí and Festival is running as part of Irish Month 2014! Join Us!
https://www.facebook.com/events/410759889027061/
Why are Irish language groups protesting?
February 24, 2014
Several Irish-language organisations, led by Conradh na Gaeilge, have organised large rallies, including one in Dublin attended by 10,000 people.
The latest was held in Connemara yesterday to coincide with the last day in office of the Coimisinéir Teanga, Seán Ó Cuirreáin. He resigned early as language commissioner because of his frustration with the State’s commitment to the first official language. Ó Cuirreáin and the Irish language movement believe this Government – and the “permanent government” of public servants – have displayed a marked indifference to the language’s fate. They argue that Irish as a daily spoken language is in grave peril and that we are nearing the day when then the last of the native speakers is born.
What is the basis of those criticisms?
There are a number of grounds. Outside of the education sphere, the State’s approach to the Irish language encompasses two documents, one legislative and one political. The legislation is the Official Language Act, introduced by former minister Éamon Ó Cuív, which gave a statutory basis for the first time to the rights in respect of the language enshrined in the Constitution. In short, anybody who wishes to engage in Irish with the State or any of its agencies or bodies is entitled to do so. Some provisions of the Act – such as the requirement for bodies to translate into Irish annual reports and other important documents – became the subject of harsh criticism. As far back as 2004, Fine Gael’s John Deasy was identifying huge translation costs for documents that were never read in the Irish form.
However, one of the roles of the Coimisinéir Teanga was to ensure the Irish language obligations were being honoured. Among the more egregious cases he highlighted were the absence of Irish-speaking gardaí in the Donegal Gaeltacht of Gweedore (subsequently fully addressed by An Garda Síochána) as well as Revenue’s practice of having press releases translated into Irish in batches every three months to save costs, which rendered them pointless. The Act has seen some positive developments, particularly in relation to signage (and some documents). Both TG4 and Raidió na Gaeltachta are important contributors, and new movements such as Gaelscoileanna and Irish language activity on social media have become so widespread that they cannot be ignored at the political level.
The second document was the 20-year strategy for the Irish language, now in its third year of operation. Its aim is to increase the number of daily speakers from 83,000 to 250,000. Mr Ó Cuirreáin said recently that after the first three years that “it would be difficult to meet anybody who thinks the target is realisable”. How does the Government compare with previous administrations in its attitude to Irish? Unlike previous governments, the Minister with responsibility for Irish, Dinny McGinley, is a junior rather than a senior minister. A lack of interest is evident across Government. A recent decision by the Department of Public Expenditure to end the 6 per cent bonus for Irish in Civil Service entrance exams was portrayed as a further nail in the coffin. Ó Cuirreáin has argued that under current rules it will take 28 years to increase the percentage of Irish speakers in the Department of Education (a key department) from a miserly 1.5 per cent to 3 per cent. Allied to that is a programme for Government commitment to consider getting rid of obligatory Irish for the Leaving Cert and a sense among language activists of antipathy towards the language within the public service. So was yesterday’s march important?Irish language groups, such as Conradh na Gaeilge, say that the Irish speaking community is getting angry at its second-class status.
www.irishtimes.com
Imperative that we support our language
February 24, 2014
I, like many thousands, took part in the “La Mór na Gaeilge” rally recently and the majority of the protesters were young people, particularly students of Gaelcholáistí.
A large number of participants came from all parts of Ireland. As the father of four children attending a Gaelcholáiste in West Dublin, it is imperative that the Government clearly states its honest intentions with regard to the future of the Irish language. Funding for Irish-language bodies and Gaeltacht regions have been drastically reduced in every budget since the onset of the economic crisis. These cuts have had a detrimental effect on the cultural, artistic and educational communities of Ireland. May I through the medium of your esteemed newspaper urge the people to make the Irish language a big issue in the run-up to the May elections?
Paul Doran
Clondalkin
Dublin 22
www.examiner.ie
‘Slan to Sean’ protest over Irish services
February 24, 2014
HUNDREDS of people turned out in Connemara to mark the last day in office of the country’s first Irish Language Commissioner.
Sean O Cuirreain’s second term as Coimisineir Teanga ended officially yesterday with a protest by Irish language activists and supporters in the heart of the country’s largest Gaeltacht area. The Slan le Sean protest came in the wake of Mr O Cuirreain’s resignation at the failure of the Government to ensure the provision of adequate services as Gaeilge to Irish speakers. And it followed last week’s demonstration in Dublin – attended by an estimated 10,000 people – over the lack of action by government to assert the rights of Gaeilgoiri. The protest got under way yesterday with a tribute to the work of Mr O Cuirreain during his two terms as the country’s first Irish Language Commissioner.
Thanking all those attending for their support, Mr O Cuirreain said: “I have always found it ironic that the State, which requires all students to study Irish up to Leaving Cert level, then fails to facilitate them and actually actively prevents them from using the language in dealing with state bodies.” He wished his successor as commissioner, Ronan O Domhnaill, every success in his new role. Mr O Domhnaill has worked for a number of years as political correspondent with TG4. Afterwards, a letter of protest was handed in to the headquarters of the Department of the Gaeltacht in Furbo.
www.independent.ie
Feachtas ar son meánscoile i gcathair Dhoire
February 24, 2014
