Tough campaign for the Irish language
January 15, 2014
Over 200 people attended a public meeting held by Conradh na Gaeilge at the weekend regarding the Government’s approach to the Irish language.
The meeting was held in Dublin’s Liberty Hall on Saturday to highlight public anger and frustration with the Government’s attitude to Irish and the Gaeltacht at the level of the State, and to discuss the way forward for the Irish speaking community.
The latest developments come as a result of An Coimisinéir Teanga, Seán Ó Cuirreáin’s announcement that he would be resigning from his role on 23 February 2013 due to the Government’s failure to implement language legislation.
Conradh na Gaeilge and the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) held a protest before Christmas to mark the beginning of the campaign to show the Irish language community’s support for An Coimisinéir Teanga’s stance and their disappointment with the Government’s approach to Irish language matters. The meeting on Saturday gave Irish speakers the opportunity to discuss the objectives and requirements of a tough campaign will be undertaken in the coming weeks.
Guest speakers included Capt Aralt Mac Giolla Chainnigh, founder of the Canada Gaeltacht, Seán Mag Leannáin, Former Chief Officer in the Stateservice, and the public forum was chaired by Caoimhín Ó hEaghra, Director of An Foras Pátrúnachta and former Senior Civil Servant.
In an official statement from the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, it stated that the issues raised at the meeting on Saturday, 11 January 2014, will be considered by the Department as well as the appropriate stakeholder groups, but noted that many of the recommendations made at the meeting relate to the work of other Government bodies and not the Department of the Gaeltacht.
Based on recommendations made at the public meeting, the following actions have been agreed:
- to organise a tough continuous campaign
- to establish a workgroup to coordinate the campaign (Conradh na Gaeilge will act as secretary to the group)
- to organise a large demonstration that will attract public support to the campaign
In order to implement these recommendations, any person or group with an interest in taking part in the workgroup is being asked to notify Ard-Rúnaí Chonradh na Gaeilge, julian@cnag.ie, before 12.00pm on Friday, 17 January. It is hoped that the workgroup will be made up of representatives from all aspects of the Irish language community including members from the north, the west and the Gaeltacht.
The workgroup will agree a strategy for the campaign which will include recommendations made at the meeting, and will begin to put plans into placer immediately regarding a large demonstration that will take place in Dublin on Saturday, 15 February 2014, at 2.00pm.
It is hoped that the campaign will be active before the language commissioner stands down on 23 February 2014.
Foilsithe ar Gaelport.com
