Year Three Progress Report for 20 Year Strategy
July 24, 2013
The Minister of State for the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Dinny McGinley, T.D., yesterday evening published a progress report on the implementation of the 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language.
The Strategy was published in 2010, and the Programme for Government 2011 – 2016 pledges Governmental support for the implementation of the Strategy. Nine distinct areas for proposed initiatives are set out in the Strategy, as well as goals for each area.
The Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht has received heavy criticism for the implementation to date, and have been accused of procrastination. In their defence, the Department have said that until now, the emphasis has been on the establishment phase of the Strategy which has involved providing information about the Strategy and establishing the operational structures required for its implementation.
Speaking at the launch of the report yesterday, Minister of State, McGinley referred to the resource constraints within which the Strategy is being implemented commenting: “It is undoubtedly true that expenditure on the Irish language has decreased significantly in the period since the Strategy was published in 2010”.
On the highlights achieved to date in implementing the Strategy, the Minister of State mentioned The Gaeltacht Act 2012, an Act which was forced through the Houses of the Oireachtas at a rate of knots prior to last year’s adjournment for the summer break, without accepting even one recommendation made, and without any public consultation.
This reports follows an announcement two weeks ago of a major change for the Irish language voluntary sector. Currently, 19 organisation receive core-funding from Foras na Gaeilge, but between now and July of next year, this is set to drop to 9 organisations, with the CEO of Foras na Gaeilge declaring that up to 18 jobs are set to be cut from the sector. At a time when the State is pledging support for an Irish language Strategy, it seems foolish that the voluntary sector, which addresses the needs of the public, would be actively dismantled over the same period.
Yesterday’s report sets out the overall progress made with regard to the implementation of the Strategy during the period 2010-2013 and describes the implementation plans for
the Strategy which have been published by the relevant Departments.
Even the biggest critics of the implementation of the Strategy to date will welcome yesterday’s report, as it defines exactly what the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht are to do in relation to the implementation of the Strategy, and also outlines the roles of other departments in the Strategy’s implementation. Taking a glass-half-full approach to yesterday’s report, one could say that we cannot move forward unless we know where we currently stand, this report explains what has been achieved to date, and sets goals for the future. Most importantly, the report lays out who is responsible for the achievement of each goal.
The progress report on the Strategy and the implementation plans of the relevant Departments are available on www.gaelport.com.
