A dark day for the Irish language
December 5, 2013
Irish language community concerned over resignation of Irish Language Commissioner
Language Commissioner, Seán Ó Cuirreáin, announced on 4 December 2013 that he is to resign from his position on 23 February 2014.
An Coimisinéar made this announcement while discussing the Annual Report of An Coimisinéir Teanga 2012 in front of the Joint Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions. Referring to the report, Ó Cuirreáin said that 2012 “was not a vintage year for the promotion of the Irish language in the public sector, and for every one step forward there appeared to have been two steps backwards”.
The Office of An Coimisinéir Teanga was established in 2004 under the Official Languages Act 2003 to monitor the compliance of public bodies with provisions under the Act.
During the discussion, the Commissioner referred to the lack of implementation and the low standard of the language scheme system, the lack of competence in Irish throughout the stateservice, and the government’s decision to merge the Office of An Coimisinéir Teanga with the Office of the Ombudsman, although no details have been made available regarding this since it was announced in November 2011.
An Coimisinéar criticised the government’s new recruitment policy for the stateservice and estimated that it would take 28 years to raise the current level of fluency in Irish in the Department of Education and Skills from 1.5% to 3%.
While discussing the vacuum which has surrounded the review of the Official Languages Act 2003, proposed in November 2011, An Coimisinéar stated that should the use of Irish in dealing with Gaeltacht communities and ensuring an adequate Irish language capacity in public administration not be addressed, any amendment will be seen “as a fudge, a farce or a falsehood”.
An Coimisinéir said that he had not seen “morale and confidence so low” among the Irish community in his 30 years of work, and that the current public administration system is marginalising the language.
Following the years in the role, and with two more left in his appointed term, Ó Cuirreáin said that “there is little else I can personally achieve in that timeframe in relation to language rights for Irish speakers and Gaeltacht communities”. It is therefore with regret that I announce that I have decided to resign from my position as Coimisinéir Teanga on 23rd February next. I have informed the President of Ireland of this decision today as required by legislation”.
Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh described the 4 December 2013 as a dark day for the Irish-speaking community but said that he understood the commissioner’s decision was based on principle. Referring to the heavily critical report compiled by an Coimisinéar, Ó Clochartaigh said that it is impossible for the office to fulfil its duties with little or no support from the government or from state bodies.
Minister of State Dinny McGinley expressed regret at an Coimisinéar’s decision to resign two years prior to completing his appointment, 16 April 2014.
Conradh na Gaeilge described the announcement as a “disastrous blow to the Irish language”.
“The announcement made by An Coimisinéir Teanga today that he is to resign is undoubtedly the worst blow to the Irish language in many long years. Conradh na Gaeilge can well understand his reasons for stepping down; the Government has made bad decision after bad decision in relation to the Irish language since taking office in 2011. One only has to look at the decision to merge An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta (COGG) into the NCCA, the total disregard shown by the Government for the amendments recommended for the Gaeltacht Act 2012, and even the changes planned for the Office of An Coimisinéir Teanga itself” said Uachtarán Chonradh na Gaeilge, Donnchadh Ó hAodha.
Kevin De Barra, Stiúrthóir Chomhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge, said “Seán Ó Cuirreáin and his team could not have done anymore over the past ten years to ensure the correct implementation of the Official Languages Act. That role has become more challenging in recent years due to the lack of support from government and the general lack of political will.
“The review of the Act, announced in November 2011, was a positive step towards implementation, however, we are still waiting for the results of that process two years later. It is a huge blow to the Irish language that someone as fair and versatile as Seán Ó Cuirreáin is resigning from such an important role, but I completely understand his reasons for doing so”.
“What is the point in having the Office of An Coimisinéar Teanga if it receives no support from the government, as this makes it impossible for the commissioner and his team to fulfil their duties”, he said.
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