This Government has failed the Irish language
December 12, 2013
Fallout from resignation of Language Commissioner
The debate continues following Seán Ó Cuirreáin’s announcement to the Joint Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions that he is to resign from his position on 23 February 2013.
An Coimisinéir Teanga has cited the Government’s failure to implement language legislation at the level of the State as the reason for his decision, including the low standard of the language scheme system, the lack of competence in Irish throughout the stateservice, the government’s new recruitment policy for the stateservice and its decision to amalgamate the Office of An Coimisinéir Teanga with the Office of the Ombudsman.
Adding to the concern expressed by the Irish language community at Seán Ó Cuirreáin’s decision, opposition parties have condemned the Government’s approach to the Irish language and Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin have called for the resignation of both the senior Minister and the Minister of State ar the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.
During question time with Minister of State for the Gaeltacht, Dinny McGinley on Thursday, Éamon Ó Cuív, Fianna Fáil T.D., explained that while he understood the junior Minister’s position, it is clear that he is not receiving Government support regarding Irish language matters.
He called for the resignation of senior Minister Jimmy Deenihan as he believes An Coimisinéir Teanga’s announcement demonstrates a vote of no confidence in this Government, an Taoiseach and particularly in the Minster.
Minister of State Dinny McGinley asked that Irish not be made a question of politics as past experience has led to a party split and was ultimately damaging to the language.
Speaking on Adhmhaidin on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta on Thursday, Deputy Ó Cuív stated that Irish is a political question and while Jimmy Deenihan’s lack of Irish is a problem, it would be acceptable if the Minister made every effort to support the language. But as far as Deputy Ó Cuív is concerned, it is clear that the Minister has no interest in Irish language or Gaeltacht matters.
Sinn Féin believes that it should be Minister of State Dinny McGinley who should resign. According to Sinn Féin’s Irish Language and Gaeltacht spokesperson, Trevor Ó Clochartaigh, “It is crystal clear from statements made by Ó Cuirreáin over the last couple of years that the state organisations have not being co-operating with him, that the Department of the Gaeltacht has not been fulfilling its obligations in ratifying language schemes and that the implementation of the Twenty Year Strategy leaves a lot to be desired”.
“This is a damning indictment of this government. It is quite clear to me that this government and in particular the Minister for the Gaeltacht are failing completely in fulfilling their responsibilities properly and that he should be the one to resign and leave the job to someone who is willing to do it properly”, he said.
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com
Géarchéim anois gan Coimisinéir na Gaeilge
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Troid ar son chearta teanga
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Bainisteoirí á lorg
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Cúntóirí Taighde
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Múinteoir á lorg
December 12, 2013
Resignation of An Coimisinéir Teanga (The Language Commissioner)
December 11, 2013
The Association of Irish Development Officers in the public service has described the resignation of An Coimisinéir Teanga, Seán Ó Cuirreáin as a disastrous blow to the development of front‐line Irish language services. “The lack of staff capable of providing services in both official languages of the State continues to hinder the ability of state organisations to provide services to the public through the Irish language. We call on the Taoiseach, Enda Kenny and on the Government, to act immediately to restore faith in State support for the Irish language, our national language and the first official language of this country.”
“We are very disappointed, as is the Commissioner, with the delay in the review of the Official Languages Act, 2013, particularly given the fact that many public and state organisations have campaigned for a new recruitment system which would ensure the recruitment of Irish speakers into the public service to serve the needs of the Irish speaking population, both within and outside the Gaeltacht,” says Aoileann Nic Dhonncha, PRO for the Association of Irish Development Officers.
As well as serving the needs of the Gaeltacht population, large numbers of Gaelscoileanna have opened throughout the country in recent years, and State services through Irish are needed to serve the graduates of these schools. More emphasis needs to be put on the Irish language in the recruitment process for public bodies, so that we in the public sector can properly fulfil our front line language obligations, without any extra cost,” says Aoileann Nic Dhonncha.
“The Association would like to thank the Language Commissioner, Seán Ó Cuirreáin for his help and support of our daily efforts to ensure the proper implementation of the Official Languages Act at the front line in the public sector. Seán’s resignation as Commissioner is a big loss to Irish speakers throughout the country, as he was an extremely professional pioneer, as the first Irish Language Commissioner, who excelled in his service to the Customer and the State.
The level of services through Irish which are provided by public bodies in the Gaeltacht, and elsewhere, is entirely dependent on there being sufficient staff who are proficient in Irish to provide those services.
The current recruitment system does not ensure enough staff that are proficient in Irish, nor will the new system as recently proposed by the Government, and as a result, the provision of services through Irish is unsatisfactory.
This fosters a lack of confidence in the State’s ability to provide high‐quality services through the Irish language, which undermines the demands of the Irish speaking and Gaeltacht communities for Irish language services from the State, despite their Constitutional right to receive such services in our native tongue.
Cumann na nOifigeach Forbartha Gaeilge
www.cumannofg.wordpress.com cumannofg@hotmail.com
Oifigeach Caidrimh Poiblí: Aoileann Nic Dhonncha, Co Átha Cliath Theas (086) 8228916.
Cathaoirleach: Roibeard Ó hEartáin, Co. Chiarraí (087) 7989727.
Rúnaí: Máire Seó Breathnach, Co. Phort Láirge.
Suíomh Idirlíon: Seán Ó Daimhín, Co. Dhún na nGall.
Meáin Shóisialta: Oonagh Ní Chéilleachair, Co. Mhaigh Eo.
Coimisinéir an choinsiasa
December 11, 2013
Irish speakers
December 11, 2013
Why do quite a number of Englishlanguage journalists think it is so smart and witty of them to show their ignorance of what it involves to be an Irish speaker?
It is not a hobby, it is not something I wish to practise twice a week for the craic, but it is every bit as intrinsic to my being as the colour of my skin. In this wonderfully diverse world of ours, a world where people are commended for defending their rights, are these totally unenlightened comments by Ian O’Doherty ( Irish Independent, December 9) acceptable?
Aine Nic Niallais, Indreabhan, Co na Gaillimhe
www.independent.ie
Tireless worker for the Irish language
December 11, 2013
I was disappointed to hear that Seán Ó Curreáin, Language Commissioner, is to resign. Séan worked tirelessly for the Irish language and Gaeltacht communities for the past eight years in his role.
He has told us that little headway was made regarding the Irish language in our state institutions in 2012 — legislated language plans were left languishing and more plans were out of date for more than three years. This is along with the other setbacks that the language has received ie the reduced status of COGG, the Council for Education, in Irish language medium schools. We are well aware of the Gaeltacht community’s language rights under the Official Languages Act. These rights are being denied inside our offices of state. State employees must be happy to serve us in Irish and it must be certified that public administration systems have enough staff with a working knowledge of Irish. The exemplary work by Ó Cuirreáin must be continued to ensure that we have a strong Gaeltacht community in the years to come.
Máire Uí Shíthigh
Baile an Fheirtéaraigh
Trá Lí
Co Chiarraí
www.irishexaminer.com
