Folúntais: Gaelscoil Phádraig
July 21, 2014
Folúntas: Gaelscoil na Lochanna
July 21, 2014
Folúntas: Scoil Cholmáin Tuairíní
July 21, 2014
Kenny rejects fears over Ministers’ ability with Irish
July 17, 2014
Taoiseach Enda Kenny has rejected a call to reconsider his appointment of two Ministers with responsibility for the Gaeltacht who are not fluent in Irish.
Mr Kenny said in Irish that when the Dáil resumes after the summer Minister of State Joe McHugh, who has direct responsibility for Gaeltacht Affairs, will be fluent in the language. The Minister is to undertake a refresher course in Irish in Glencolmcille, Co Donegal.
But Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams said the appointment of two Ministers who did not have functioning Irish was a “backward step”.
He believed Mr McHugh and Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Heather Humphreys were very capable representatives. But he said the appointments “provide further evidence of the downgrading of the Irish language and the Gaeltacht that has been the mark of this Government”.
Earlier Sinn Féin spokesman on the Gaeltacht Peadar Tóibín made a blistering attack on the Government’s attitude to the language and described it as “incredible” that neither of the two had Irish when they had responsibility for the language.
“The working language of the department now becomes English because at the top of the department the Ministers themselves can’t understand it,” the Meath West TD said.
Instead of rows about translating documents into Irish, documents in Irish would have to be translated into English so the Ministers could understand them, he said.
He said there were 800 children in the Gaeltacht who were native Irish speakers and he told the Minister: “You are saying to the children ‘learn Irish, speak Irish yourselves, speak Irish amongst your families, but don’t speak Irish to us cos we don’t have it’.”
Widespread use
Mr McHugh told him that “one person is not going to save the language” but the Ministers had a commitment to the language and to making it more widespread.
Mr Tóibín said, however, that while he did not doubt Mr McHugh’s commitment to learn the language, the “ministry of the Gaeltacht is not an Irish language course”.
Mr McHugh said, “I’m prepared to put in the work, like any job. I’ve already stated that I have to do a refresher course and I think this is about ensuring that the job is done correctly and I’m certainly going to do the best of my ability.”
Mr McHugh said the question was about bringing the language into the home and getting parents speaking Irish.
He added that there was a challenge in thinking the language. “I’m asking people to follow me in my journey, where we can reach out to people who got Cs and Bs and As in their Leaving Cert and don’t speak it but want to speak it and have a love and a grá for the Irish.”
Fianna Fáil arts spokesman Seán Ó Fearghaíl pointed to the protest by 10,000 people in Dublin in February about the status of the language and what they saw as the Government’s lack of commitment.
“I would take it we have two new brooms in the department. I don’t question your commitment but you’ll be judged at the end of the day by what you do.”
Ms Humphreys said they were committed to the 20-year strategy on the language. She added: “The big thing is the confidence because a lot of us know it but we don’t have the confidence to stand up and speak it.
“I just want to reassure you that I’m totally committed to the protection and the proper advancement of the Irish language and that it will be used much more in normal, everyday living.”
www.irishtimes.com
Irish lessons not learned yet as FG women seethe
July 17, 2014
There’s a grim summer in prospect for poor Joe McHugh. The new junior minister with responsibility for the Gaeltacht isn’t very good at speaking Irish.
In fact, when Joe braved his ministerial debut in the Dáil yesterday morning, he made Gerry Adams sound like Seán Bán Bhreathnach. And that’s saying something. The Sinn Féin leader is very sensitive about his proficiency in the native tongue. He doesn’t take too kindly to criticism.
He’s known to be quite grumpy with journalists who poke fun at his occasionally painful attempts to engage in the cúpla focal with Enda. So he wasn’t going to be too hard yesterday on Joe or Heather Humphreys, who is the senior Minister in the department and also a bit of a duffer when it comes to speaking the teanga.
Nonetheless, Gerry is not happy with a state of affairs where the two with responsibility for the Irish language don’t have a very good grasp of it. Earlier, his colleague Peadar Tóibín steamrolled Humphreys and McHugh with a torrent of questions as Gaeilge which they found very difficult to understand. They apologised for their lack of fluency and promised they will work hard to get up to speed.
“I have no doubt about your commitment to learn the language at this stage, but the Ministry for the Gaeltacht is not an Irish language course,” said Peader, rather prissily.
He should tell that to his leader. At times, Gerry Adams has apologised in the chamber for his ability in this regard, pointing out that the only way he will improve is by learning as he goes along.
Where the two new Ministers are concerned, it might be said that Adams is that soldier too. Except this might imply active service of some kind and Gerry was never a member any army.
Journey of discovery
“I was asleep last night and I was thinking in Irish,” Donegal’s McHugh told the Dáil, in stuttering Irish. “I was thinking in the language for the first time in a long time” he added, in English. The new junior minister hoped people would follow him on his “journey” of discovery and learn along with him.
The Taoiseach has full confidence in his man. He said he’s advised him to go off and do a course at a very good school in Donegal, “cos he’s got the language inside of him, but it’s rusty”.
The Opposition thought this hilarious.
Michael Noonan wondered where Adams, who was enjoying this little exchange at McHugh’s expense, learned his Irish. Long Kesh, replied Adams, with no small amount of pride.
Crash course
One way or another, the Taoiseach confidently told the Dáil that Joe McHugh would be back in the chamber after the summer recess, a fluent speaker. Actually, it sounded more like an order than a challenge.
No pressure there so, Joe.
Miriam Lord
www.irishtimes.com
Money allocated to Donegal childcare facilities
July 17, 2014
The Minister for Children & Youth Affairs, Dr. James Reilly, T.D. has informed Deputy Dinny McGinley that in excess of E200,000 has been allocated for the provision of childcare facilities in Co. Donegal.
Amongst those included are:
Creeslough Community Childcare Services Ltd.; Naíonra Ailt an Chorrain; Naíonra Kincasslagh; Naíonra Gortahork; Naíonraí Phadraigh Dobhair; Convoy Community Playgroup; Donegal Playgroup; Saimer Community Childcare; Spraoi le Chéile; Niall Mór Community Childcare Centre; CPI Community Childcare, Castlefin.
Deputy McGinley welcomed this allocation which will be of considerable help to those who are providing childcare facilities in the County.
www.donegaldemocrat.ie
Amhrán nua ó Choláiste Lurgan
July 17, 2014
Child Protection & Weflare Training – new dates
July 16, 2014
Folúntas: Scoil na gCeithre Máistrí
July 16, 2014
Folúntais le Gaelscoileanna Teo.
July 16, 2014
