The dictatorship of fear!

"Guth na Gaeltachta curtha ina thost!" (Guth na Gaeltachta silenced!)

This is yesterday's headline in this week's Gaelscéal, one of the Irish newspapers published each week. It indicates that members of Guth na Gaeltachta, the Donegal Gaeltacht based organisation set up in alarm at the direction of State policy towards our language was taking following the publication of the report of An Bórd Snip Nua, were now fearful of speaking publicly because of the threatening attitude being adopted by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.

This stems particularly from the letter sent, in English, to one of the members, employed by the Department, not in the Gaeltacht section but in the Heritage section, as a gardener, advising him that his terms of employment could be compromised if he continued speaking against Government policy on the Gaeltacht, that they could be construed as breaking the terms of his employment. We mentioned this in a blog, Bullying from Govenment, in July 2012.

Naturally Guth na Gaeltachta spoke out against this threat at the time. The Junior Minister, to whom responsibility for the Gaeltacht has been devolved, Dinny McGinley, stated that he had no responsibility over civil service procedures!  It appears that the Civil Service operates without impunity. (In a case brought eventually to the Oireachtas by the Comisinéir Teanga the Civil Service "defended" its position on incorrectly implementing its own policy for recruitment. "This is the way we've always done it, therefore it is the correct way!" Sir Humphery could not have said it better!)  Since that time Guth na Gaeltachta has been remarkably silent and normally vociferous spokespeople, not all of whom are Department employees, are unwilling to make any comments, good bad on indifferent, "on advice."

One wonders where this will stop. I have come across one old-age-pensioner who is now afraid to voice his opinion on the Language he has loved and  for which he has fought all his life, because he now depends on a state pension and is afraid he will loose it. What about employees of the Department of Education or third level institution who owe their funding to the state? On the radio last evening it emerged that language planning experts in Galway University had been moved "sideways" from the Language Planning Department. This is the Department which will be in greater demand by Gaeltacht parishes if the policy forced through the Oireachtas by this government last year is to be implemented!

This attitude falls in with the dictatorial way in which this Fine Gael/Labour Government is ramming through policy, much of it not really thought through, and instilling fear on one sort or another not only into the Gaeltacht people, but also people in other areas , especially rural people. One merely has to mention the fear gripping so many people with the closure today of one hundred rural Garda stations - eight in the Donegal Gaeltacht. Or the threatening behaviour of the Minister of the Environment Phil Hogan on the issues of so-called "Household Tax" and rural effluent treatment. How he has cut-back funding to local authorities because he says that people in their area had not paid this charge, the collection of which was in fact not the responsibility of the local authority!  Look at the enforced mergings of the National Library and National Archives; National Museum and National Gallery; Comisinéir Teanga and Ombudsman; the the ramming through of the Gaeltacht Bill which removes the democratic authenticity of Údarás na Gaeltachta are all indications of a dictatorial bureaucracy. It is interesting in this context to look at what our present President Michael D Higgins has said on "institutional inadequacy,"(The President, the bureaucracy and the language! 5/11/2012)

 Yesterday a person came to my door by mistake looking for an elderly neighbour. He was from an organisation which provides alarms specifically for the elderly living alone and afraid of incursions by person or persons unknown. An indication of the fear gripping rural Ireland?

The exclusive story in Gaelscéal (Irish)

Martin Niemöller, was a Luthern Theologian in Germany during the war. This is somethig he said which has perhaps some little relevence here.

First they came for the communists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist.

Then they came for the socialists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a socialist.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for me,
and there was no one left to speak for me.

Have they come for Guth na Gaeltachta?

Killed by bureaucracy?

I suppose one of the most effective organisations in fostering love and use of the Language over the years has been Glór na nGael (Irish). It is a comparatively young organisation from it's foundation by the Catholoc Priests organisation Cumann na Sagart. It's first patrons were Úachtarán na hÉireann Éamon de Valeara and Cardinal D'Alton and the first competition was organised in 1961. It is now a company half owned by the Cumann and the other half by the umbrella group of all Irish language organisations, Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge (Bilingual).

It sends a team throughout the length and breath of the country looking for the town, parish or district looking at how they are progressing in the promotion of Irish in the life of the community and award not insubstantial prizes for those communities who, in their opinion, have advanced most in the preceeding year. The awards are graded to the size and type of community. This year the awards were presented recently in the hallowed and iconic chambers of Belfast City Hall, a city which recently, through the establishment of the only truly urban Gaeltacht, and historically has had such a positive influence on maintaining and growing the opportunities for developing a healthy Gaelic environment.

Like most communities they are funded, especially for their running costs, but the state. Recently however they have been forced to issue protective notice to seven of their staff because there is no guarantee that funding will continue after July of this year. They are not alone in fearing that this funding will not be forthcoming. The other language organisations whether community based or even State bodies like Údarás na Gaeltachta expect to be faced with cuts or outright cessation of the grants which enable them to perform in a professional way. For instance the Language Commissioner (An Coimisinéar Teanga)was unable to use his entire budget last year because of delays and restrictions placed on him by the bureaucracy. The money was there but he was not allowed to spend it and so the statutary service he provides must suffer.

It is not denied that these are stringent times and good houskeeping is essential no matter how laudable an organisations vision and aims are. However the fact the the bureaucracy does not see fit to advise its decision in good time means that effective realistic planning, so important in our modern world, cannot take place.

Voluntary language organisations, such as the non-state funded Guth na Gaeltachta (Irish), and private individuals, have raised their voices in support of these bodies. They state that there is great danger letting these initiatives fade if we are to achieve the objectives of the Government's 20 year plan.

Eventually the new minister, Pat Carey, made a statement saying that there was no need for worry as long as the process of reassessment was in progress. He is referring to the examination of the many language organisations and their relevency. Most people do agree that some "rationalisation" is required in the nineteen language bodies but the delays caused in the meantime create a sort of limbo situation.

Delays like this caused the death of Foinse, leaving a gap in the Irish language newspaper scene which lasted for several months while the body charged with funding these assessed possible alternatives. And as Concubhar Ó Liatháin, (a paper he edited in the past, Lá Nua, also was allowed to perish due to Departmental ineffectiveness) in Fóram Iriseoireachta na Gaeilge (Irish)blog stated, this means that the expertese and knowledge fostered over a period of years is lost and valuable time is wasted by a new team getting up-to-speed. Not good planning!

So in effect the Minister is saying that the jobs are safe until they are not!

Hardly the most reasuring of news to people trying to make a living in this day and age.

No Gaeilge!

No need to understand much Irish to get the message here!

This is a short YouTube video from some students of OCBhÁC (Olscoil Chathair Bhaile Átha Cliath=DCU). They have mounted a campaign to have the language respected in their establishment and indeed within the Students' Union. See their spirited campaign facebook page is attracting attention too. Though mostly in Irish you still can get the student enthusiasm exuding through the comments...

The Students Union in DCU says in its constitution - available only in English states that it exists
"To represent all of its members on matters affecting their distinctive student experience. This is with regards to both their academic and extra-curricular education, as members of the University."

The fact that the University doesn't even have an Irish Language officer speaks volumes in a college that hosts one of the most progressive and modern Irish Language 3rd level range of courses and research under the banner of Fiontar. Among these is the important work on the the National Terminology Database for Irish in focal.ie and on the Placenames Database of Ireland in logainm.ie, and a national biography database in ainm.ie.

Is this commentator alone in thinking that the institute that hosts this important national research and yet does not think it important to provide a background that indicates at least some understanding of the importance of that language in the daily happenings of that institute, is somehow remiss in its responsibilities? The singular lack of enthusiasm in preparing it's statuatary plan for Irish (under the Language Act) the college authorities and indeed the student union highlights this at best mediocre approach.

Hope you enjoy the video!

More about this (in Irish) at An bhfuil an Ghaeilge feiceálach ar do champas?

A fully human language?

We talked about the Conradh na Gaeilge Árd Fheis in our piece, "A very modern contest," concentrating on the contest for the venerable position of President (Uachtarán), a position held first by by one of the founders, Dúbhglás de hÍde, who later became President of Ireland.

There was very little coverage of this in the English language media, and indeed the Irish language media had what could be regarded as a fairly light coverage. However the new kid on the block, Gaelscéal, has a report in this weeks issue which tries to give the flavour of the event.

Like all journalism it is perhaps concentrating on the contest and possible signs of division, young versus old, even Munster versus the rest. Certainly the election prospect seems to have galvanised attendance at this years event. The re-elected President (and indeed his opponent) were anxious that no bitterness should follow a keenly fought campaign. When asked about possible divisions he said firmly that he didn't want to continue in that vein at all . "I am not in the Conradh for controversy," he said. "I am in Conradh na Gaeilge for the work, for the unity, to put pressure on the civil servants that are against us. I wish to make it clear that I am not in the Conradh to foment disputes." The defeated candidate concurred and he vowed to continue his work with Pádraigh for the Conradh in the enthusiastic spirit of his campaign.

The re-elected President, Pádraigh Mac Fhearghusa, made a very spirited and indeed feisty address to the delegates. Possible, according to some sources, a much more envigourated speech that that he made as an election. He emphasised how welcome the young generation was to this, one of the oldest national movements, only Cumann Luathcleas Gael is older. He emphasised particularly the civil service. He obviously feels the antipathy emanating from some of these servants of the state. "Do you regard Irish as a fully human language?" he asked.

Clearly he understands the incredible damage that the intransigence of the state beaurocracy has done to the language, the most important still living part of our heritage.

Clearly as the Conradh advances into it's second century it is far from moribund and intends to take its rightful place again as the inspiration of the ancient Gaelic nation. An old fashioned notion?

Let's watch and see.

Feachtas Teilifíse - Campaign TV

This is a successful campaign but it required people to go to gaol. This campaign attracted the attention of the English language media.

Is there a better way?