Irish obstructed in the north
January 21, 2014
British Government and Northern Ireland Assembly heavily criticised in the latest report from the European Council Committee of Experts on the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.
The European Charter is an important legislation regarding the preservation and promotion of minority and regional languages under European law which came to include Irish, as well as Welsh, Scottish Gaelic, Ulster-Scots and Cornish, when it was signed by the British Government in 2001.
The Committee of Experts reviews the implementation of the Charter at the end of every cycle and in its most recent report, the Committee has blasted the British Government’s approach to the Irish language.
During the on-the-spot visit to the NI Assembly during the most recent cycle, the European Council Committee found that hostile attitudes persisted towards the Irish language in Stormont and, despite the Committee’s recommendation to implement comprehensive language policy in 2009, no steps have been taken towards any policy. The Committee also noted that the promotion of Irish in the six counties remained a contentious subject.
A monitoring report published in November by Pobal, the Irish language advocacy organisation in the north, found that both the British Government and the Northern Ireland Assembly are continually failing to fulfil their legal obligations under the European Charter which is demonstrated by the various obstacles that citizens are faced with while attempting to deal with the State through Irish.
The British Government is obliged to present a report to the European Council every three years regarding the implementation of the Charter however, a disagreement among members of the Assembly regarding the submission resulted in the report being significantly delayed in 2013 as was the case in 2010.
The Committee found that unjustified restrictions on the use of Irish in some fields covered by the Charter, including in courts and the use of bilingual street signage, still persist.
In relation to Irish-medium education, the Committee reported a reluctance in the Department of Education to facilitate and promote Irish-medium education especially at secondary level. The experts noted the lack of teaching materials available and the shortage of qualified secondary teachers in the six counties.
The report emphasised the concern among the Irish-speaking community regarding the provision of Irish-medium preschooling, teacher training, especially at secondary level, and many schools reported a reduction in the number of teachers dedicated to the teaching of Irish in schools.
Janet Muller, CEO of Pobal, said, “We note that the Experts have strongly urged that the Irish Language Act be introduced and it is in our opinion time to publish an agreed target date for its introduction and move forward”.
“As for Part III of the Charter which makes specific provision for Irish in the north, the Experts make significant criticism in relation to current provision in relation to the media, to education, to the courts, to the administrative practice of the political administrations both at the assembly level and local council level – and to the failure of Westminster and the Assembly to report back to the Council of Europe as required under international legislation”, she said.
The Committee of Experts has advised that legislation is required to protect the Irish language and is strongly urging the British Government and the NI Assembly to provide an appropriate legislative base for the protection and promotion of Irish in Northern Ireland.
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Gaelscoil na bhFál – Curaidh Chumann na mBunscoil
January 21, 2014
Siamsóir na Mí
January 20, 2014
Gaelscoileanna Teo. selected as the Lead Organisation in the field of Irish-Medium/Immersion Education and Irish-medium Preschool Education
January 20, 2014
Gaelscoileanna Teo. welcomes its selection as the Lead Organisation in the field of Irish-Medium/ Immersion Education and Irish-medium Preschool Education, announced as a result of the restructuring process, conducted by Foras na Gaeilge, to select a lead organisation for the Irish-Medium/Immersion Education and Irish-medium Preschool Education area of activity.
Bláthnaid ní Ghréacháin, CEO of Gaelscoileanna Teo. states, “ We are very pleased that we have been successful in this process. The selection of Gaelscoileanna Teo. is testament to the drive and commitment displayed by the organisation in the development of the Irish-medium education sector in the 40 years since its inception. This announcement is timely as we celebrate our fortieth year, and it serves as recognition of the long years of diligence and loyalty of volunteers and staff members of the organisation. “
“We do, however, recognise that it has been a very difficult and challenging process for all the organisations participating in the process, and that there will be many challenges ahead in fully implementing the new model.”
Gaelscoileanna Teo. acknowledges that it will be embarking on significant changes as it adopts a wider range of services and responsibilities. In respect of same, Ní Ghréacháin states “We eagerly and earnestly accept the responsibilities, opportunities and challenges that await us as the lead organisation for this sector.”
President of the organisation, Máirín Ní Chéileachair, refers to the future development of the organisation, “There has long been strong collaboration between Gaelscoileanna Teo. and other interested parties in the Irish-medium education sector. We look forward to discussing opportunities for continued co-operation with them and the furtherance of strategic collaboration in developing the sector. It is vitally important to Gaelscoileanna Teo. in developing the sector to maintain expertise within the sector, at governance and executive level.”
“We are greatly looking forward to the opportunity to build on Gaelscoileanna Teo.’s current standing, and to develop a strong, coordinated organisation across all three levels, from pre-schooling, to primary school, to post-primary schooling through the medium of Irish on an all-Island basis; an organisation that will have a unified, authoritative voice in its representation of the sector.”
Cinneadh Fhoras na Gaeilge i leith na 6 cheanneagraíocht
January 20, 2014
Comórtas Óráidíochta ag Ard Fheis Shinn Féin do mhic léinn agus do dhaoine óga
January 20, 2014
New funding structure for Irish language sector announced
January 20, 2014
North-South language funding body Foras na Gaeilge has announced fundamental changes to how Irish language groups are funded.
The cross-Border implementation body, which was set up under the Belfast Agreement and has a role in advising the administrations North and South in matters relating to the Irish language, announced it will reduce from 19 to 6 the number of organisations provided with core funding.
The successful organisations are Gaelscoileanna, Conradh na Gaeilge, Gael Linn, Oireachtas na Gaeilge, Glór na nGael and Cumann na bhFiann. None of the six organisations are based in the North, where organisations such as Pobal, Forbairt Feirste and cross-community Irish- language charity Iontabhas Ultach will now lose a significant portion of their funding.
In the south, Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge and Forbairt Naíonraí Teo are among the groups that will no longer receive funding. Foras na Gaeilge said the move marked a “new era” in the development of the language.
www.irishtimes.com
Call for Irish language support
January 20, 2014
Growth and promotion of the Irish language in Northern Ireland is being blocked by hostile attitudes in Stormont and a lack of support for its use in the courts and in education, according to the Council of Europe.
European chiefs have warned authorities they may also be in breach of a charter of rights because of delays and attempts to block requests for bilingual street names. The review of minority languages in the UK said the Government has not been able to justify banning the use of Irish in the courts or allowing people to take citizenship tests through the language. The Council of Europe criticised attitudes to Irish in some official circles and what it said is the Stormont Assembly’s “persisting hostile climate”. Caral Ni Chuilin, Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure who is responsible for overall promotion of the language, said she would bring in new legislation during the current Assembly term. “There is a large body of support for an Irish Language Act in the North,” she said. “As languages are now a devolved matter full legislation will require the agreement of the Executive and Assembly. I hope that all supporters of the Irish language will work together to convince the Executive, the Assembly and all our people of the merits of supporting an Irish Language Act.” Ms Ni Chuilin said her Liofa campaign to promote the language also showed the room for cross community support.
The report from the Council of Europe also looked at the standing of Welsh, Scottish Gaelic, Cornish, and Ulster Scots which it said has improved even if it ” still remains absent from public life”. The review team hit out at a lack of political consensus in Northern Ireland on the language and the lack of a long-awaited Irish Language Act. In education it found many obs tacles hampering an adequate offering of Irish-medium pre-schools and it called for concrete steps to be taken to meet the growth in demand for primary education in Irish. It raised concerns that the Colaiste Feirste secondary school still suffers from lack of free school transport, despite having won a judicial review case against the Department of Education on the issue, and increased efforts are needed to overcome the shortage of teachers for specialist subjects in secondary education. It called for new measures to allow for simultaneous translation in the Assembly.
Overall the panel of experts from the Strasbourg-based Council – Europe’s leading human rights agency – found many difficulties persist in the development of Irish. It said work has been hampered by a lack of information from the authorities and t he UK Government was also criticised for late and incomplete responses to requests for information about the standing of Irish in Northern Ireland. In repsonse to issues on road signs, the Department of Regional Development said: “Early in 2012 the Minister for Regional Development (Danny Kennedy) decided not to pursue the matter and no further work has been undertaken since.”
www.donegaldemocrat.ie
Language Planning Guidelines published
January 17, 2014
The publication of the guidelines regarding the language planning process was announced today by The Minister of State at the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Dinny McGinley, T.D.
The guidelines give a view of the language planning process in in accordance with the implementation of the Gaeltacht Act 2012.
Announcing the guidelines, Minister of State McGinley said that the guidelines focus primarily on the community and the organisations that will be responsible for the preparation and implementation of the language plans under the Gaeltacht Act 2012. He also stated that the guidelines will assist the voluntary and the public and private sectors in their role to support the process.
The first notices regarding the 26 Limistéir Pleanála Teanga were announced by the Department in December, they are:
- Ciarraí Thiar
- Cois Fharraige
- Gaoth Dobhair, Rann a Feirste, Anagaire and Loch an Iúir
Organisations and community groups which are located in the named Limistéir Pleanála Teanga, or adjoining regions, now have until 14 March 2014 to apply to Údarás na Gaeltachta. The language planning criteria must be included in the drafting of any language plan in the Limistéir Pleanála Teanga. Following an assessment by Údarás na Gaeltachta which will take up to two months, a lead-organisation will be selected to prepare language plan for that particular region.
Language plans will be prepared over a two year period and following Department approval, plans will be implemented, with assistance from Údarás na Gaeltachta, over a seven year period. Lead-organisations will be representative of the community, community groups, committees and voluntary and language associations in the region.
Click here for more information on the language process.
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Rith 2014 approaching
January 17, 2014
In less than two months Rith 2014 will be upon us.
Rith 2014 is a national Irish language festival that will take place this year between the 7-15 March 2014 during Seachtain na Gaeilge.
On March 7th 2014, the run will commence around the island of Ireland, with the specially designed baton being passed to a different runner and group at the end of each kilometre.
Thousands of people are expected to take part in this nine-day event which will run from morning to night, travel through over 200 towns and 14 counties between Munster, Leinster and Ulster. Rith promotes the Irish language and is also a fundraising event used to promote the development of Irish in the community.
Following on from the success of Rith 2010, in which over 20,000 people took part, and Rith 2012 which was just as successful, Rith 2014 organisers are urging the public to come out and participate in this year. A hand carved baton with a concealed message hidden inside will be carried during the Rith 2014, from start to finish.
From Baile Bhuirne the run will head towards Youghal, the Waterford Gaeltacht of Rinn Ó gCuanach, Waterford city, New Ross Wexford and Arklow. From Dublin the run will continue on to Navan, Kells, Cavan, Clones in Co. Monaghan, Enniskillen in Co. Fermanagh, Omagh, Strabane and onto the town of Lifford in east Co. Donegal.
From there the run will continue onto Maghera in Derry, Armagh, Newry, Downpatrick and on 15 March Rith 2014 will finish in the heart of Belfast where a the special message in the baton will be read out at the closing ceremony.
Rith 2014 is an enjoyable and innovative way for communities to celebrate the Irish language and culture all across Ireland.
To take part in Rith 2014 just visit www.rith.ie.
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