Left wing or left out? Fine Gael wants to repossess Irish?

A recent article by Miriam Lord in the Irish Times mentioned the fact that a new Fine Gael TD, Gabrielle McFadden, was organising an Irish conversation group in Leinster House. "Sinn Féin has kinda taken the language over in the Dáil. I want to take it back off them, because it belongs to all of us."

Taking it back?

More recently the journalist, Ciarán Dunbar, asked the question "Is Irish now a language of the left wing!" (Article in Irish in Meoin Eile 23/2/2015). Perhaps it is hardly a surprising question since most of the speaking of Irish in the Oireachtas is instigated by Sinn Féin. The Taoiseach, Enda Kenny has, as far as I can see, never spoken on any subject other than the language itself unless in response to a question from some measure of Sinn Féin.

Perhaps it's is not so much that SF have taken the language in the Dáil (or anywhere else in our political life) but rather the other parties have abandoned it. One is reminded of the words of Seán Ó Cuirreáin to an Oireachtas Committee last year before he resigned. "I believe that the language is continuously being edged aside, pushed towards the margins of society and that includes much of the public sector."

Indeed I feel that Sinn Féin use Irish, not so much out of love of our National Language as a political expedient. (See for instance look of the "Irish Version of their website" or in their press releases almost all of which are in English.) With one or two notable exceptions - Trevor Ó Clochartaigh and Peadar Tóibín TD for instance - the use of Irish is fairly peremptory. If there is something important to say say on finance or the ubiquitous water controversy or farming or jobs, it is always the Queens English that this and every other party uses. I'm told that translation services are not always available. Why should they be when nobody speaks it except to flaunt a pseudo nationalism?

When was anybody expelled for unparliamentary language in Irish? Would the Ceann Comhairle know if somebody called a minister a liar in Irish?

Seriously though, the Minister for the Gaeltacht and all that other stuff, Heather Humphreys, has called on us to make 2016 a "Year for Irish!" My question is what is she and her party going to DO about it? They have produced heads of bill for the new Official Language Acts of which the current Coimisinéir Teanga, Rónán Ó Dómhnall, has declared that outside of one or two small details (the right of citizens to use their Irish form of their name and address) and some minor technical details, "there is nothing in these heads to strengthen language rights,"(our translation).

Does not the phrase appropriated by the Irish Times in it's editorial 9th December 2013, after the announcement of the decision of the resignation of the first Coimisinéir Teanga, Seán Ó Cuirreáin, seems moot. Speaking of the many, indeed countless promises of this and previous governments they thought that there was a case to be made in describing them as “a fudge, a farce or a falsehood”

10th report from Coimisinéar Teanga published!

Gaeilge

An Coimisinéir Teanga, Rónán Ó Domhnaill, published the Annual Report 2013 of the Office of An Coimisinéir Teanga this morning (17 April 2014).

This is the tenth annual report published by the Office. In those ten years over six thousand complaints have been raised with the Office in relation to language rights. Approximately 23% of those complaints related to Government Departments and Offices and 32% related to local authorities while the rest concerned a wide variety of state organisations.

Publishing the 2013 Report, Rónán Ó Domhnaill said: “Clearly the Office of An Coimisinéir Teanga has achieved a great deal in the last ten years with regard to protecting the language rights of Irish speakers. In that context I welcome the decision of the Government to reverse the plan to merge the Office of An Coimisinéir Teanga with the Office of the Ombudsman; this decision safeguards the independence of the Office.

"I am delighted to announce that the post of Director, Office of An Coimisinéir Teanga, at Principal Officer grade in the Civil Service, will be advertised shortly. This appointment will greatly enhance our ability to implement the aims of the Office in the coming years.”

Rónán Ó Domhnaill also recognised the achievements of the Report’s author and first Coimisinéir Teanga, Seán Ó Cuirreáin, in creating a space for the Irish language in public discourse and protecting language rights.

Complaints and investigations
In 2013, the Office of An Coimisinéir Teanga dealt with 775 cases of difficulties or  problems accessing state services through Irish. Most cases were resolved by means of informal negotiations with the relevant state bodies or by providing advice to the complainant.

A total of 13 formal investigations were carried out in 2013 and findings of breaches  of individual elements of language legislation were made against certain public  bodies. Two of the investigations concerned the Department of Education and Skills  and the issue of education through Irish in the Gaeltacht.

Language schemes 

98 language schemes (statutory language plans) covering a total of 184 public bodies were confirmed by the end of 2013; however, 72 of those 98 schemes had expired by  the end of that year. In the case of local authorities 94% of language schemes had  expired.

Perhaps the most incredible thing about this report is that all this detailed and precise work was carried out with a miserly budget of just over €500,000.00. Many Government bodies would do well to examine how this was accomplished.

The full version of the report in pdf form may be viewed here.

• Report from the Irish Times highlighting concerns voiced by Irish Language Organisations. (17/4/2014)
• Ireland's English state (An Sionnach Fionn, 18/4/2014_

President appoints Coimisinéir Teanga!

An scéal seo i nGaeilge

Rónán Ó Domhnaill was appointed today as An Coimisinéir Teanga by the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins.

Mr Ó Domhnaill said that it was an honour and a privilege to be appointed as the country’s second ever Coimisinéir Teanga.

Rónán Ó Domhnaill, Coimisinéir Teanga

"I'm delighted today to be appointed as An Coimisinéir Teanga and I am looking forward to taking up this important role," he continued. I intend to protect the linguistic rights of Irish speakers without fear or favour, and to fulfil my legislative responsibilities with vigour and enthusiasm. “

“I am under no illusions about the challenges that lie before me and the Office of An Coimisinéir Teanga over the coming years, but I strongly believe that these are challenges that are worth facing in the interests of the Irish language, the Irish language speaking community and the people of Ireland.”

Mr Ó Domhnaill paid special tribute to his predecessor, Seán Ó Cuirreáin.

“The help that Seán Ó Cuirreáin has provided since I was named as An Coimisinéir Teanga has been a great source of encouragement to me and I greatly appreciate the unqualified support he has given me. I am also grateful to the staff in the Office of An Coimisinéir Teanga for their warm welcome."

Certificate of appointment is signed!
 (Micheál Ó Leidhn, RnaG)

Mr Ó Domhnaill also thanked the Minister of State for the Gaeltacht, Dinny McGinley, and the Government for nominating him as An Coimisinéir Teanga. He thanked the Dáil and Seanad for accepting that nomination unanimously and the President of Ireland for appointing him officially this afternoon.

Rónán Ó Domhnaill is 38 years old. He is from An Cheathrú Rua in the Connemara Gaeltacht and spent seven years as Political Correspondent with Nuacht RTÉ/TG4 and as a member of RTÉ's Political Unit before being nominated as An Coimisinéir Teanga last month. He is married to journalist Irene Ní Nualláin and they have two children.

• As reported in the Irish Times!
• As reported in Irish Independent!
• Appointment of new Language Commissioner (Gaelport, 13/3/2014)