Fine Gael Irish policy ‘a death knell’ for Colaistí Samhraidh
February 24, 2011
Fine Gael’s policy towards the Irish language, which proposes that Irish would be optional as a Leaving Cert subject, would be the ‘death knell’ for the Colaistí Samhraidh industry in the Mayo Gaeltachtaí.
The party has come under increasing pressure from a number of Irish language bodies and opposition parties over its stance to make Irish an ‘optional’ subject after the Junior Cert. The party claim that by abolishing Irish as a compulsory subject in the Leaving Cert, it will help the language to flourish as it would attract passionate students.
However, in Gaeltacht areas there is a fear that its will have a negative impact on the local economy which relies on Irish Language Colleges in the summer. One principal of a Irish language summer college told The Mayo News that if they go ahead with the policy, it will be a ‘death knell’ for the Colaistí Samhraidh and the Gaeltacht. “It is a very populist thing to say they will get rid of Irish as a compulsory subject but if they go ahead with it, it will be the death knell of the Colaistí Samhraidh and the Irish language. Over a period of five years we will be left with no business because if there isn’t an incentive to learn Irish, students won’t come to the Gaeltacht.
“From listening to Radio na Gaeltachta there is uproar among the Mna na Tí especially in Conamara. It is very important to the Gaeltacht and the money that the Coláiste Samhraidh generate goes into the local community. There are over 100 people directly employed in the Colaistí Samhraidh around Mayo and if they closed a factory that employs 100 people there would be uproar. That is what we are talking about here,” he said. During the week students opposed to Fine Gael’s policy staged a ‘silent protest’ outside the Dáil claiming that if Irish is optional, students will not choose it as a subject because languages are harder subjects to study in the Leaving Cert and it would no longer be available in every school.
Sinn Féin candidate in the General Election, Cllr Thérèse Ruane (pictured) said that Fine Gael’s proposals must be opposed at all costs. “We in Sinn Féin commit ourselves 100 per cent to its promotion. Our proposals will further protect the Irish language. “One among many of those proposed is that there should be an Aire Gaeilge agus Gaeltachta in Cabinet with responsibility to deliver on the 20 year strategy and ensuring that the rights of Irish language speakers are upheld. Gaeltacht communities must be protected, supported and developed. “We also believe the right to education through Irish should be constitutionally and legally enshrined as one of the primary steps in protecting its existence for generations to come,” she said.
Conradh na Gaeilge in Mayo sent a petition signed by more than 160 people from all over Mayo to Fine Gael leader, Enda Kenny calling on him to reconsider his policy towards the Irish language. A spokesperson for Conradh na Gaeilge in the county said that there was no evidence or research whatsoever to say that the Fine Gael policy would succeed in promoting the language.
The Mayo News – Anton McNulty
