Government must carefully consider the Irish language in Budget 2013
November 20, 2012
Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge, the umbrella body for Irish language voluntary organisations is calling on the Government to carefully consider Irish language issues in the upcoming Budget 2013, and to express their support for the Irish language and the Gaeltacht.
In a prebudget submission to Minister for Finance, Michael Noonan T.D., An Chomhdháil, the central steering council for the Irish language community, demanded the support structures for the language, which have been diligently constructed over many years by both the public and the State, be protected in Budget 2013.
Focussing on the 20 Year Strategy for the language, An Chomhdháil warns the Minister for Finance, that this strategy cannot be successfully implemented without adequate State support and investment. Particular attention is given in the submission to two policies introduced earlier this year under the Gaeltacht Act 2012, namely the Family Language Support Programme and the Language Planning Process.
An Chomhdháil contends adequate investment is required to ensure a focus on practical methods to support parents across the country who wish to raise their families through Irish.
An Chomhdháil maintains further resources, particularly human resources, must be made available through Údarás na Gaeltachta to those community organisations who already have challenging workloads and are now expected to achieve language planning results, under the recent Language Planning Process. An Chomhdháil recommends practical instruction be given to these community groups to enable them to engage appropriately with the Language Planning Process.
Further recommendations are proposed in relation to the review of the Official Languages Act 2003, to Údarás na Gaeltachta and to Ciste na Gaeilge, and to the staffing crisis at An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta (COGG). The submission also recommends charity status be automatically bestowed on those organisations working in the Irish language voluntary sector which would allow them a preferable VAT rate.
The prebudget submission discusses the rationalisation of the Irish language core-funded sector a process embarked upon by Foras na Gaeilge in 2008 which is still on-going.
Kevin De Barra, Director of Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge claims: “No study has been done on the work of the core-funded organisations in the four year period since Foras na Gaeilge first began their rationalisation. While we wait in limbo for the funding reshuffle to occur, the annual budgets of the voluntary organisations have been slashed year on year”.
With a new funding model to be put before the North South Ministerial Council on 12th December 2012, exactly one week after the announcement of Budget 2013, De Barra says: “We call on the Government to ensure adequate resources are provided to the Irish language voluntary sector so that we may build on the good work undertaken to date. We are not adverse to change, but we must be convinced that any new model will positively impact the promotion of the Irish language in the future”.
The full prebudget submission, (Irish only), can be downloaded below: Aighneacht Réamhbhuiséid.
A Press Release issued by Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge
Published on Gaelport.com
