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%).

The first steps!

Leagan Gaeilge

The first steps towards a viable Irish Language Strategy.

At a public seminar hosted yesterday by Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge, experts in language planning, in relation to the Irish language, spoke on the steps which must be taken to implement the 20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language. 

Speaking at the seminar, Chairperson of Údarás na Gaeltachta, Liam Ó Cuinneagáin said: “It is important that the proposed role of Údarás na Gaeltachta is clarified, and that the methods of implementation of the Strategy are agreed.  While the proposed role of Údarás na Gaeltachta is a national one, an tÚdarás will continue to function in Gaeltacht regions only, until such a time as the relevant arrangements have been made to give an tÚdarás a national function”.
The Irish language Commissioner, Seán Ó Cuireáin, spoke of the results which were now apparent from a decision taken in the 1970s, to remove the requirement of civil servants to be competent in both English and Irish, and declared this decision an “abject failure” for the Irish language.  He cited the Department of Education and Skills, which recently revealed that only 1.5% of its administrative staff had sufficient competence in Irish to be able to provide service in that language. “That department is by no means unique and the absence of competence in Irish is common through most Government departments and agencies,” he said. (See more on the Commissioners address : Richie Ryan made language marginal!)

Speaking at a political debate on the Irish language held as part of the seminar were: Minister Pat Carey T.D., Fianna Fáil; Frank Feighan, TD., Fine Gael; Brian O’Shea, T.D., The Labour Party; Aengus Ó Snodaigh, T.D.,  Sinn Féin; and Dominic Ó Brollcháin, MLA, SDLP.  Among the issues discussed were, Irish as a Leaving Certificate subject, addressing the Irish language in the Civil Service, support structures for the 20 Year Irish Language Strategy and an implementation plan for the Strategy, and the issue of the functions of Údarás na Gaeltachta. 

Arising from the seminar, below are the preliminary demands for election 2011 which Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge will discuss with all political parties:

An Ghaeltacht
• An Chomhdháil demands adequate resources and supports are provided to Údarás na Gaeltachta to maintain its enterprise functions in Gaeltacht areas. 
• An Chomhdháil demands every support be given to families who wish to raise their children through Irish, both in Gaeltacht areas and across the country.

20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language
• An Chomhdháil demands the correct structures be established to implement the 20 Year Strategy for the Irish language effectively and efficiently, and that the expertise and skills of the Irish language voluntary sector be utilised fully in this regard.
• An Chomhdháil demands that the functions of Údarás na Gaeltachta be clarified, and ratified in the necessary legislation, and that a timescale be laid down for the enactment of such required legislation, which will give the Strategy a legislative foothold.

Irish in the Education System
• An Chomhdháil demands full support be given to the Irish language as a core subject at Leaving Certificate level, and as a minimum entry requirement to third level courses.
• An Chomhdháil demands that a provision be made in the education system to provide an Irish language curriculum which takes into account the requirements of students who are fluent in the language. 
• An Chomhdháil demands a review of the education system, to find better methods of ensuring all children at both primary and secondary level are fully proficient in Irish. 
• An Chomhdháil demands provision is made to facilitate the requirements of parents in relation to Irish language education. 

Irish in the Civil Service
• An Chomhdháil demands the Official Languages Act 2003 be fully implemented across the entire Civil Service. 
• An Chomhdháil demands the Civil Service be reorganised in order to provide increased services through Irish on a proactive basis. 

Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge recommends exercising affirmative action in the Civil Service recruitment process in favour of candidates who are competent in both English and Irish. 

Speaking at the public seminar, Director of Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge, Pádraig Mac Criostail commented: “In order to improve the status of the Irish language, it is necessary that Irish language policies, effected by the next Government, have a factual basis, and utilise the measures of best practice from the field of language planning.  The election demands outlined by Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge draw on the expertise of the Irish language sector, and on public consultation.  An Chomhdháil will seek assurances on each of the above demands from all parties”.

Richie Ryan decision made language marginal

Leagan gaeilge

“An abject failure” is how An Coimisinéir Teanga (Irish Language Commissioner), Seán Ó Cuirreáin, described the ending nearly 40 years ago of the requirement for civil servants to have competence in Irish as well as English, when addressing a conference in Dublin on Wednesday.

Election Poster for Richie Ryan

Former Finance Minister, Richie Ryan TD, made knowledge of Irish optional for civil servants in 1974 when he told Dáil Éireann that his Government was “satisfied that by replacing the compulsion which did so much damage to the Irish language over the past half century with enthusiasm for the language, we will have people more readily disposed to use Irish.”

An Coimisinéir Teanga said that while Ryan’s assertion may have been wellintentioned, history had unfortunately shown it to be fundamentally flawed. The language had subsequently become marginal to the point of insignificance in the workings of many Government departments and agencies.

He cited the Department of Education and Skills, which recently revealed that only 1.5% of its administrative staff had sufficient competence in Irish to be able to provide service in that language. “That department is by no means unique and the absence of competence in Irish is common through most Government departments and agencies,” he said.

While not advocating a return to “compulsory Irish”, Mr. Ó Cuirreáin said some form of “half-way house” approach needed to be found if compulsory English was not to become the norm for the public in the conduct of all business with the State.

“The State invests heavily in the teaching of Irish and requires schoolchildren to study its official languages – a standard practice in other countries. Yet, it fails to adequately facilitate the subsequent use of Irish by those who have acquired it. Joined-up thinking is missing in the current approach” he said.

Mr. Ó Cuirreáin said he hoped the new 20-Year Strategy for Irish launched by the Government with cross-party support would introduce fundamental reforms. He suggested that a modern, holistic, and structured approach was required to transform the teaching of Irish to such an extent that all students would acquire basic fluency through the education system. It would follow that those who had achieved such fluency should be facilitated in using the language with ease afterwards in their dealings with state organisations.

“This is a realistic and inspiring vision, and, in fact, the only way of getting value for money for the significant investment made in the teaching and promotion of Irish to ensure its long-term survival in the life of our nation” he said.

Enda to complete work of statutes!

"....if any English, or Irish living among the English, use the Irish language amongst themselves, contrary to the ordinance, and thereof be attainted, his lands and tenements, if he have any, shall be seized into the hands of his immediate lord...." Statutes of Kilkenny 1366.

The final irony in all this is that the Statutes
of Kilkenny were in fact written in Norman
French!

A recent issue of Fonse, the weekly supplement in the Irish Independent has secured commitments from all the main parties except Fine Gael on mantaining the current position of the Irish language in Ireland. Fine Gael uniquely have committed to abolishing the status of the national language in secondary schools. They have been unable to establish a scientific reason for this and still less have been unable to to explain the contradictory position described in the party's official policy with the laudable vision of their leader:

Enda Kenny: (2006)
"My vision of Irish in our education is simple. I believe we should equip our people particularly our young people, with a real, useful and a communicative knowledge of the Irish language!"

Official Fine Gael Policy: (2007)
"All students to be offered a choice as to whether to study Irish after the Junior Certificate"

It doesn't require inordinate intelligence to see where these two statements disagree. It reminds one of the law stated in the Statutes of Kilkenny and in a way completes the destructive work of those notorious laws down through the penal laws, their own abandonment of insisting on the neccessity of knowledge of Irish in the civil service in the seventies and eighties. (This latter has led to the inability of 98.5% of those in the Department of Education unable to work in the national language - a frightening statistic which harks back to Pearse's name for the English education system in Ireland as the "murder machine.")  In this regard seee "Richie Ryan decision made language marginal" on address by the Language Commissioner.

Foinse have secured commitments from Labour, Sinn Féin and the Green Party that they will not change, nor permit change and in some cases will augment and strengthen the position of our national language. It is presumed that Fainna Fáil too, as the party which produced the 20 Year Plan for the Irish Language could hardly be so duplicitous as to abandon it...or could they?

Alone the Fine Gael Party stand with no such commitment.

There are of course economic implications in this attitude, not least in the multimillion business in Coláistí Gaeilge throughout the last stubborn bastions of vernacular Irish use in the country. In implementing this policy this industry will be eliminated, destroyed with nothing to replace it. There are other  considerations to as alluded to in a scientific study of Dr John Walsh in his recent work: Contests and Contexts: the Irish Language and Ireland’s Socio-Economic Development. (See critique by Lorna Siggins in Irish Times.) Do Fine Gael have such a complete scientific basis for their policy?

Every time we abandon another defence of our language we abandon ourselves. Fine Gael do not  quite obviously get this. The leaderr of the Union of University Teachers asked some years ago:
"Would any other country propose, that its national tongue not be compulsory in its exam system?"

Fine Gael will in abandoning the last vestiges of support for Irish in its native land complete in a short time complete the work commenced by the English in 1366 and will ensure that "exclusive use of the English language," and who knows include as did the Satutes the use of Irish "when naming children..."

The final irony in all this is that the Statutes of Kilkenny were written in French!

Enda's promise!

Leagan Gaeilge

The press statement from last Friday's meeting in Galway organised by Conradh na Gaeilge and Guth na Gaeltachta (Irish) on the status of Irish in the Leaving Cert.  We have requested a meeting with Enda Kenny, Leader of Fine Gael and we are asking everybody to raise the the subject of the retention of Irish as a core Leaving Cert subject as a matter of urgency with their local Fine Gael representative.

An example of this is provided by Aodán Mac Donncha, Manager of Comhlacht Forbartha an Spidéil (Irish) who contacted Senator Fidelma Healy Eames after Friday's meeting and received the following response today:

Aodhan,

I understand but don't worry, all is not lost.

I have secured the following commitment from Enda Kenny - FG in Govt will not impose any removal of compulsory Irish ruling until there is a full review of curriculum and methods re. the best way to teach Irish w/ ultimate aim of more people becoming competent in spoken language. This means consultation w/ ALL stakeholders.

Any policy will and must include immersion. This means going to the Gaeltacht, safeguarding the Gaeltacht and everything that means.

Be 100% sure that I will support sound principles that encourage language learning. This is my Ph.D. specialist area.

We will also be looking at ways to make Irish more attractive at LC including extra points.

Please feel free to circulate this,

Le gach dea-ghui,

Senator Fidelma Healy Eames

On-line Petition: Fine Gael's policy on Irish Education

Dissatisfaction of UnaG Board!

As Gaeilge

The Board of Údarás na Gaeltachta express dissatisfaction and concern regarding budget allocated for 2011

At an Údarás na Gaeltachta Board meeting in Na Forbacha, Co. Galway today (10th December), members of the Board expressed great dissatisfaction and concern about the organisation's finances for the year 2011 and for the future. In comparison to the €15m capital budget made available by the Exchequer in 2010, only €6m will be provided in 2011. A further €6.2m is to be funded from the organisation's own resources, which includes a target income of €2m from the sale of assets at a time when the property market has effectively collapsed. An tÚdarás believes that its enterprise role is gradually being eroded at a time when its staff is continuing to prove the organisation's ability to deliver satisfactory job-creation results for the Exchequer and the Gaeltacht despite the present difficult economic climate.

At the Údarás Board meeting today, 55 projects involving a total of €2.9m in state funding were approved, which will lead to the creation of 193 new jobs when fully implemented. Despite the central role that Údarás na Gaeltachta is expected to have in the implementation of the 20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language both in the Gaeltacht and nationally, an tÚdarás believes that the organisation's enterprise functions are being undermined when its reduced funding leaves it with no option but to decrease its employment creation target from 600 jobs in 2010 to 300 jobs in 2011 at a time when employment creation is critical. The Board of an tÚdarás has appealed to all Gaeltacht and Irish language organisations to support its board members in highlighting the issue of the future of the organisation with public representatives, including during the upcoming general election campaign due early 2011.

Constitutional question?

A young Gaeltacht man brought a constitutional case against the Government recently and won.

Why English?

There is a duty on the courts and on all state services to provide a service in Irish to citizens. Why then did this man not choose to fight his case in Irish?

This right is stated on the website of the Language Commissioner:

"The Constitution permits the public to conduct its business – and every part of its business – with the state solely through Irish. As a result of this constitutional right, public bodies have a duty to comply with this right."

The judgement is available on the Court Service website in English only.

This site is quite good as quite a large proportion of the site is available in Irish however funnily enough this particular judgement is only available on the English version.

The Government has Irish. They say they are “absolutely serious” about the languge question. Many of the Judges and advocates have Irish, indeed they must pass an examination in Irish in order to practice. And of course the basic language of the Constitution is Irish not English.

So why then did this young man of the Gaeltcht, a man who is a member of a party that prides itself on its Irishness above all the other partys, why did he choose to take this case in English?

We are told in the press release issued by his party that this was a victory for democracy. It is clear however that there is no place for his own language nor that of a vast percentage of the constituents of Donegal South West.