Public Meetings re Irish in the Leaving Cert

Gaeilge

Table of speakers at the Galway Meeting

1.    Over 200 people attended a public meeting in Galway yesterday organised by the Irish Summer Colleges Association(CONCOS).  Election candidates were invited to present their policies as regards the Irish language and the Gaeltacht.  There was very strong dissatisfaction voiced with Fine Gael's policy of making Irish an optional subject for the Leaving Cert.  The Fine Gael candidates present, Sean Kyne and Senator Fidelma Healy Eames agreed to forward a request to party leader Enda Kenny to meet with a delegation of representatives from the meeting.  No answer has been received from Enda Kenny to date  to a previous request for a meeting by Gaeltacht and Language organisations subsequent to a national meeting in Galway on January 21.

2.    Guth na Gaeltachta (Bilingual) and Coiste na mBan Tí i dTír Chonaill are organising a public meeting in the Crannóg in Gaoth Dobhair next Tuesday, 15 February ar 7 o clock.  Election candidates will be invited to come and present their policies on the Irish language, the Gaeltacht and the status of Irish as a Leaving Cert subject. This is an opportunity for the community to demonstrate their strong support for the Irish Language and the Gaeltacht and everybody is invited to attend.

3.    In an IPSOS-MRBI survey on attitudes towards the Irish language, 61% said that Irish should be a core subject for the Leaving Cert(in the 15-24 age group, support for the Irish language was at 65%).