Minutes of Foras na Gaeilge Board Meetings Published
January 29, 2013
Only seven of Foras na Gaeilge’s sixteen board members were present when decisions concerning funding for the Irish Language Voluntary Sector were taken in 2012.
Foras na Gaeilge recently published the latest series of minutes from board meetings held in 2012 which show that less than 50% of board members were present when issues relating to funding of voluntary organisation such as Gael Linn, Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge and Conradh na Gaeilge were examined.
An Foras Teanga (the North South Language Body) was founded on 2 December 1999 under the British-Irish Agreement Act 1999. An Foras Teanga comprises two separate Agencies, Foras na Gaeilge and Tha Boord o Ulstèr-Scotch (The Ulster-Scots Agency). The primary responsibility of Foras na Gaeilge is the promotion of the Irish Language throughout the island of Ireland and Foras is also responsible for funding organisations working in the Irish language voluntary sector.
Minutes of a board meeting held on 20th April 2012, at which 9 members were present, state two members left the meeting due to potential conflict of interest before decisions relating to projects such as Seachtain na Gaeilge, The Preschool Fund, Clár na Leabhar Gaeilge and corefunding for Gael Linn and Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge were decided upon.
A board meeting on 29th June 2012 saw a total of 5 board members leave the meeting, including the vice-chairperson, to avoid any potential conflict of interest. With five members having left the meeting, this left only seven members remaining to decide upon corefunding, with a total value of €5.68 million, for voluntary organisation primarily located in the Republic of Ireland and funding valued close to £1 million to organisations located in Northern Ireland for 2012/13.
Review of Corefunding
Certain information in relation to the review of the Irish Language Voluntary Sector is not disclosed in the recently published minutes due to it being exempt information under the Code of Practice for Freedom of Information.
Not disclosing such information gives little confidence to the voluntary organisations who have already expressed their dissatisfaction to Minister of State for Gaeltacht Affairs Dinny Mc Ginley TD and Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure in Northern Ireland Carál Ní Chuilín MLA at the manner in which Foras na Gaeilge has undertaken the preparation of its alternative funding proposals. The voluntary organisation stated in a letter to the ministers that they have no knowledge of any proposal/proposals presented by Foras na Gaeilge to the North South Ministerial Council.
Speaking before the Stormont Assembly lately, Minister Ní Chuilín MLA said it would be foolhardy by the The Ulster-Scots Agency to ignore not only the views but their experience and opinions of all stakeholders in decisions relating to projects undertaken to the promotion of the language.
It is clear from the letter sent by the voluntary Irish language organisations to both Ministers that they believe their experience and expertise is being ignored by Foras na Gaeilge as they prepare a new funding model for the sector.
The review of corefunding for the Voluntary Irish Language Sector will be the focus of the next Language Sector Meeting of the North South Ministerial Council in 2013.
Foilsithe ar Gaelport
New Irish Certification for Public Service launched by Gaelchultúr
January 29, 2013
Minister of State for Gaeltacht Affairs Dinny McGinley TD will officially open the new premises of Irish language training company Gaelchultúr later today, 29 January 2013 at 11 Clare Street, Dublin 2.
The new space is two and half times bigger than Gaelchultúr’s former venue in Filmbase, Temple Bar and symbolises the significant developments in the company’s work over the past few years.
As well as the new venue, Minister McGinley will also launch the next term of the company’s new FETAC course – Certificate in Professional Irish (Levels 3–6).
Gaelchultúr ’s first specialised FETAC accredited course for public sector bodies, Teastas sa Ghaeilge Ghairmiúil/Certificate in Professional Irish, began in October.
The next Teastas sa Ghaeilge Ghairmiúil course commences ag the beginning of February and will be available at two levels: level 3 (Beginner/Elementary) and level 4 (Lower Intermediate) on the National Framework of Qualifications.
The course is aimed at public sector employees who wish to improve their spoken and written Irish; staff members in public bodies which come under the aegis of the Official Languages Act 2003 and staff members in the above organisations who are required to provide a service through Irish to the public.
All information on course can be found at www.gaelchultúr.com or by contacting (01) 484 5220 / eolas@gaelchultur.com.
Conference programme for Tóstal na Gaeilge announced
January 29, 2013
“The Irish language as the national language is the first official language” – so states Article 8 of the Irish constitution, but is that status being upheld by policy makers in 2013?
State responsibilities for the Irish language is just one topic to be discussed by a panel of expert speakers at Tóstal na Gaeilge 2013.
Under the astute chairmanship of Eimear Ní Chonaola, Nuacht TG4, current Government policy will be explored, and the panel will analyse how the Government are upholding their legislative responsibilities in relation to the Irish language. The panel includes recently appointed Chairperson of Údarás na Gaeltachta, Anna Ní Ghallachair. Under the Gaeltacht Act 2012, Údarás na Gaeltachta now have a linguistic function, and have therefore inherited responsibility for language planning in Gaeltacht areas.
One of the most vocal public representatives in their opposition to the Gaeltacht Act 2012 was Senator Seán Barrett, who will speak on issues relating to democracy and the Irish language. Kevin De Barra, Director of Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge will discuss the challenges Irish speakers face in achieving their rights when dealing with the public service. Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh will discuss the deficiencies he sees in the current approach by Government to the promotion of the Irish language.
The one day conference, Tóstal na Gaeilge, will host three separate discussion panels. As well as discussing the State’s responsibilities for the future of the Irish language, panels will also discuss the challenges faced in raising a family through Irish in 2013, and issues relating to language planning in Gaeltacht areas.
Political correspondent for the Irish Times, Harry McGee will open the conference on Saturday, 16th February 2013 at 10:30am, and the conference will continue with the sessions below, under the general theme of “Beart de réir Briathair” [practice as you preach] until 5pm, at the Hilton Hotel, Charlemont Place, Dublin 2.
Session 1: Raising a family through Irish in 2013
Session 2: An Ghaeltacht in 2013
Session 3: State Responsibility for the future of the Irish langugae.
The full conference programme can be downloaded at the following link: Clár Thóstal na Gaeilge 2013 – Beart de réir Briathair.pdf
If you yourself have any questions for any of the panellists, you can submit your question in advance by sending it to maire@comhdhail.ie and the session Chair will direct your question to the panel on the day.
Attendance of Tóstal na Gaeilge will cost €15, which includes lunch which will be provided in the hotel. Your place at Tóstal na Gaeilge should be reserved in advance by contact Máire Ní Phuirséil 01 6794780 / maire@comhdhail.ie. The Hilton Hotel is located in Dublin city centre, and is adjacent to the Charlemont Luas stop on the green line.
Further discussion of Tóstal na Gaeilge can be followed on social networks using the hashtag #tnag13.
Foilsithe ar Gaelport
Concerns over Gaelscoil representation in Government surveys
January 29, 2013
Significant steps were taken over the past month in the divestment of primary schools from the Catholic Church in 44 areas.
Parents in Kildare received good news two weeks ago when it was announced that a new Gaelscoil would open in the area at the end of the year, however Irish language organisations and patronage body An Foras Pátrúnachta are concerned about representation in surveys that have been distributed until now.
Surveys which were distributed in five areas before Christmas showed that 4-10% of parents were looking for a change in primary school patronage in their area. It was also clear that a large percentage of parents in those areas did not partake in the surveys at all which presents the risk of the public not being properly represented in the survey results.
Minister Ruairí Quinn recently launched primary school patronage surveys in 38 more areas countrywide. There is currently no access to a Gaelscoil in 9 of those areas – Passage West, Roscrea, Birr, Kells, New Ross, Skerries, Mulhuddard, Portmarnock Ballyfermot/ Chapelizod/ Palmerstown.
However it is uncertain whether the Minister believes that any further announcements of school openings is to follow the surveys, due to the stable nature of the population in some of the more rural areas. Minister Quinn did hint that more negotiations might take place to divest current schools from the patronage of the Catholic Church, depending on the outcome of the surveys.
Irish Language organisations are urging parents in these areas to take part in the surveys and for those who wish to send their children to a gaelscoil to show support for An Foras Pátrúnachta.
It is crucial that parents are aware that Irish language education can be made available to their children if there is a demand for it and that religious belief is not the only topic in the surveys.
All surveys must be submitted before 8 February 2013. All information on the reform in patronage can be found at www.foras.ie and an electronic copy of the survey can be found on www.education.ie.
Foilsithe ar Gaelport
Recommendation: COGG should function as a satellite to the NCCA
January 29, 2013
As no financial savings have been attributed to the decision to collocate the offices of COGG and the NCCA, An Chomhdháil recommends COGG should function as an independent satellite.
The future of An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta (COGG) has been discussed at length in the media over the past number of months since General Secretary of the Department of Education and Skills, Seán Ó Foghlú, first announced the decision to locate COGG and the NCCA in one building.
As the NCCA prepare to move offices this summer, it has been proposed by the Department of Education and Skills that the co-location should begin at that point.
At an educational conference in November, the Department of Education and Skills announced that no immediate change would occur to the functions of COGG. While this statement was presumably meant to reassure the educators present, the opposite was true as teachers left the conference of the opinion that “no immediate change” was tantamount to saying the functions were destined to change in the not too distant future.
The primary function of COGG is to support the specific requirements of education through the medium of Irish both in Gaeltacht areas and in Gaelscoileanna, and they therefore provide learning resources and teaching aids, as well as support and research to the relevant schools. The Department’s latest decision would see COGG concentrating more on their other functions in relation to the teaching of Irish as a subject in English speaking schools.
While addressing the Dáil in answering a parliamentary question on December 18th Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn assured the Dáil that COGG would be fulfilling their legislative functions as they have up until now, and that they would be doing so through Irish, and providing the same Irish language services to the public in the future as they are now.
A short number of weeks later, the Department changed their tune and wrote to the Chairperson of COGG informing him that staff would now have to revert to using English in their day-to-day jobs to facilitate liaisons with the staff of the NCCA.
Speaking about the decision of the Department of Education and Skills, Director of Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge, Kevin De Barra said “Until An Chomhdháil, Gaelscoileanna and Eagraíocht na Scoileanna Gaeltachta founded COGG, the structures did not exist to serve the unique requirements of Gaeltacht schools and Gaelscoileanna. Our sector is now afraid that this is the first step in the erosion of such support structures and services”.
De Barra contends the level of support COGG can provide Gaelscoil and Gaeltacht schools will deteriorate if COGG employees are obliged to concentrate specifically on the Irish language curriculum for English speaking schools.
Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge have stated that the decision completely contradicts the 20 Year Strategy for the Irish language, which supports the role of COGG and states:
• An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta will play a key role in the implementation of the Strategy in the education sector working in collaboration with existing agencies.
• The Council will be appropriately staffed and resourced to carry out its existing remit:
• The role of COGG will be strengthened to reflect the need to address various issues particular to the teaching and learning of Irish in schools operating through the medium of Irish, both inside and outside the Gaeltacht and the teaching of Irish in all recognised schools.
Kevin De Barra says an urgent meeting will be requested with the Minister of Education and Skills in which An Chomhdháil will urge the Minister to consider the practicalities involved in the decision.
De Barra said, “No financial saving has been attributed to this decision. The new office of the NCCA will be located a stone’s throw from the current COGG office. Certain services such as legal or technical support can and should be shared, and COGG should certainly provide advice to the Minister and the NCCA about the Irish language curriculum. However, the primary role of COGG, to support education through the medium of Irish in Gaeltacht and Gaelscoil schools, would be best served by COGG functioning as an independent satellite to the NCCA, 100% through the medium of Irish”.
GAELPORT.COM
Meeting on new gaelscoil held in Kildare town
January 29, 2013
More than 50 people attended a meeting last Thursday in the Kildare Education Centre to discuss the establishment of a new gaelscoil in the area.
The meeting follows an announcement by the Minister For Education that a new gaelscoil will be established in Kildare town next September.
Seán de Paor, the principal of Gaelscoil Chill Dara attended and spoke at the meeting.
He explained that with 25% of pupils at Gaelscoil Chill Dara coming from the Kildare town, Monasterevin and Rathangan area, there was no shortage of demand for the service that gaelscoils provide in the Kildare area.
Gaelscoil Chill Dara, which is on the Green Road, Newbridge, is, he explained, over subscribed, and has been for some years.
Gaelscoil Chill Dara welcomes the development of the new school and wishes it every success, Mr. de Paor added.
Caoimhín ó Heaghra, a representative for an Foras Pátrúnachta, the patron of many of Ireland’s gaelscoils also spoke at the meeting, and explained that with the new school due to open in September, it’s expected that a principal will be appointed by June of this year.
As yet, while several are being considered, no site has been picked for the new school.
The new school will be multi-denominational.
LEINSTER LEADER
Láithreoirí á lorg ag Raidió na Life
January 29, 2013
Meeting – New Gaelscoil in Tallaght
January 28, 2013
IMPORTANT MEETING re new Gaelscoil opening in Sept. 2013 in FIRHOUSE, 05/02/13 (Tuesday) in Firhouse Community Centre, 7.00pm. Come along to support the new school!
An Foras Pátrúnachta – Facebook
Survey on school patronage
January 28, 2013
Sir, – I am happy to clarify that Alan Whelan’s preferences (January 24th) will be taken into account – along with the views of every other parent of 0-12-year-old children in each town covered by the primary school patronage survey who fills in the survey at www.education.ie.
It is open to either or both parents or guardians using their PPS numbers to complete the survey and to express their preferences regarding choice of school patron.
All preferences expressed by either parent or guardian will be counted and validated. However, t he number and age of children associated with each preference will be validated against the PPS number of the parent or guardian in receipt of child benefit.
I hope more parents will follow Mr Whelan’s lead and take the time to express their preferences on who they wish to see running their primary schools before the closing date of February 8th.
– Yours, etc,
DEIRDRE GRANT,
Director of Communications, Department of Education, Marlborough Street, Dublin 1.
www.irishtimes.com
My wife can vote on school patronage issue, but I can’t
January 28, 2013
Niall Murray’s (Jan 22) news report of Professor Eamonn Conway’s accurate assessment that few parents want a change of school patronage deserves further analysis.
As a parent, who voted in the Killarney survey, I was dismayed to learn from Department officials that my vote would not be counted because it is my wife who receives child benefit.
Only half of parents, those in receipt of child benefit, have a right to vote. I was more dismayed to learn that the Department has concocted a protocol that forbids any formal meetings of parents to debate the merits of Education Minister Ruairi Quinn’s very radical proposals for the Catholic Church to surrender 50% of its schools to other patrons.
I fear that democracy is dead.
Alan Whelan
Beaufort, Co Kerry
www.irishexaminer.com
