A first in fifty years...

"...until we have it again on our tongues and in our minds we are not free.." (Michael Collins).

Something happened to me last week that has never happened before. A representative of the State initiated a conversation with me in Irish.

I was travelling to our local chemist in Ceathrú Rua and there was a Garda Checkpoint on the road. We were stopped and before we could say anything the cheerful Garda greeted us "Agus cé chaoi bhfuil sibh ar maidin?" I explained my errand and we went on our way. As I drove I felt strangely uplifted, even joyful.

Why?

Well I have been dealing with the state for over fifty years and always the first approach is a sort of confrontation. If I start in Irish there are various blank stares if it is in person and they go looking for "the person with Irish." Or on the phone "The person with Irish is not here..." or "...on her tea break!" In fact up to now if I have been stopped by a Garda on the road in the course of their duty they have always initiated the proceedings in English even in the Gaeltacht. Sometimes refusal to respond in English has resulted in frogmarching to the station. This attitude has lead unsurprisingly to the interaction between the state and those whose daily language is Irish, such as those who live in Gaeltacht Areas, to be in English with the inevitable and frequent claim by the civil service "There is no demand for it!"

I have even been told on more than one occasion by an employee of the State, the constitution of which states that Irish is the first official language, that I would get a better and more efficient service if I dealt with them in English. 

There have been some conversations recently discussing this on twitter and the on-line publication NÓS (Irish).  Indeed when somebody is served in Irish it is the occasion for some happy sharings on social media. This tells its own story. I have yet to see somebody rejoicing in the ability of any state service to provide a service through English.  

Hopefull the wrangling currently in progress in Leinster House as the new ten year delayed Language Bill will manage to sort out this particular problem. However looking at the Government's rejection of almost all of the recommendations of both the Coimisinéir Teanga and the Oireachtas Committee on the Irish Language, Gaeltacht and the Irish-speaking Community (Irish) not to mention those of Linguistic experts, language bodies and the ordinary Seán and Siobhán Citizen.

The Government - all Governments of whatever hue say they favour the advancement of the National Language. Ring up any Government and discover just how they have done in the 99 odd years of the State. The great Michael Collins said shortly before he died, "...the biggest task will be the restoration of the language. How can we express our most subtle thoughts and finest feelings in a foreign tongue? Irish will scarcely be our language in this generation, not even perhaps in the next. But until we have it again on our tongues and in our minds we are not free, and we will produce no immortal literature...."

The milk-watery efforts or indeed subtle hostility of some of his successors have in no small way contributed to the current situation.

I have quoted a Nigerian poet, John Ekwere, in this regard before and his words mutas mutandis perhaps reflect the situation.

"Now no more the palefaced strangers
With unhallowed feet
The heritage of our fathers profane;

Now no missioned benevolent despots
Bull-doze an unwilling race;


Now no more the foreign hawks
On alien chickens prey -
but we on us."

See also: National archive reveals shocking state cynicism! (4/9/2013)

and: Please Sir may I renew my driving licence! (29/10/2015)

Will 2030 be postponed as 1928 was?

Perusing the English language media this last week you might be forgiven for not knowing the the Government introduced the Official Languages bill in the Dáil on Thursday. This bill, promised for the past ten, if not more, years, is supposed to be the natural progression of the 2003 Act which established the Coimisinéir Teanga and various regulations to promote the use of Irish what after all is the National Language particularly in the public sector. 

Was that act a success? 

Judge for yourself. Note particularly that the first Coimisinéir, the much respected Seán Ó Cuirreáin, was left with no other choice but to resign from his role in ensuring the implementation of Irish language legislation. He said his decision was a result of the State's lack of commitment to the protection of Irish speakers' rights. He went on (in translation) to observe: "I fear that the exercise (Government's intentions in a long delayed new Language Act) will be seen as a fudge, a farce or a falsehood."

While the new bill does address some of the issues mentioned by Seán Ó Cuirreáin and his successor and many organisations and private citizens they are understandibly doubtful of the bona fides of the Government in bringing this bill forward. This is of course based on bitter experience from the actions of every Government of the state since 1928. 

Catherine Martin (Aire Gaeltachta 2020) Risteárd Ua Maolcatha, Aire Rialtas Áitiúil 1928) & Jack Chambers (Aire Stáit Ghaeltachta 2020)

Research, which possibly led to the aforementioned resignation, shows that "the Irish language policy of the Irish state from 1928 has been little more than an excercise in cynicism, deception and long fingering!" During that year the then Minister of Local Government & Health, Risteárd Ua Maolchatha, introduced Legal Instrument (No 23 0f 1928) which specified that any local or health authority employee with duties in the Gaeltacht (Irish speaking area) be given three years to learn sufficient Irish to be able to perform their duties in the local language. If they failed to do this they were to be let go. 

These provisions were never implemented. 

As a target date approached a new instrument was signed which postponed it for a further six or twelve months. In fact during the years between 1928 and 1966 this happened FIFTY FOUR (54) times. 

In 1974 the then Government enacted legislation which abolished the requirement of proficiency in the National Language for applicants to appointments in the civil service. The Taoiseach of the day fully understood what this would mean and wrote:  "..that the abolition of the requirement might cause some difficulties in regard to the Constitutional position of Irish as the first official language of the State and might lead to a situation where few civil servants would be able to conduct business in Irish with those members of the public who would wish and would be entitled to do so..." 

Oh how true!

The new act states that a fifth of new recruits to the civil service will have to be proficient in Irish from 2030 (IT). However there is a clause which allows the Minister to extend that date. One wonders how frequently will this be done. Fifty four times? It is little wonder the the General Secretary of Conradh na Gaeilge, Julian de Spáinn wearily says in todays Irish Times (Irish)  - "It is time for the Government parties to adhere and fulfill their promises (before the election)!"

One sign of hope was the number of speakers who addressed the introduction of the bill on Thursday. Twenty two deputies spoke over a period of several hours in a civilised, intelligent and useful debate. All parties and independent groups with the notable, and noted, exception of Fine Gael, the successor party of that which introduced the 1928 act. And the party whose minister removed the Irish language requirement in the civil service with the words, "...there will be no weakening of Irish in the civil service and there will be a greater desire to use it because of the ending of compulsion..." 

Monitoring report highlights Garda failure!

Prior to 2018 the majority of the Coimisinéir Teanga's monitoring was focused on language schemes. This was a sensible approach because these language schemes were the main mechanism used by the legislation to impose a legal obligation on public bodies to provide varied services in Irish. However by 2017 it became evident that it was a flawed system. No systematic or comprehensive development of services provided in Irish occurred as a result of this system.

Leagan Gaeilge

---

A litany of failures (Irish Times Editorial 13/8/2020)

For this reason the Coimisinéir used another of his powers given him by the Oireachtas. This allowed him to monitor, of his own accord, the range of duties placed upon public bodies under the Official Languages Act. His first report using this monitoring power led to the first Monitoring Report covering 2018. Now the report for 2019 is available and shows how state and public bodies are fulfilling their obligations under the law and constitution.

Garda Síochána

Only 35 Gardaí with Irish are stationed in Gaeltacht stations according to the organisation’s self-assessment system. That is out of a total of 99 Gardaí stationed in the Gaeltacht. An Coimisinéir Teanga, Rónán Ó Domhnaill, says that it is now clear that recommendations from an investigation concluded in 2011 on this issue have not been implemented as they should.

Overview of 2nd Monitoring Report

As he launched  the  2019 Monitoring Report today, An Coimisinéir Teanga said … "the likely outcome of this lack of progress will be the laying of a report on the issue before the Houses of the Oireachtas. This in accordance with the obligation placed upon me when recommendations of an investigation have not been implemented after a reasonable period of time. It would be difficult to argue that a reasonable period of time has not elapsed since an investigation in 2011 as regards An Garda Síochána complying with its obligations under the Garda Síochána Act in ensuring Gardaí with Irish are stationed in Gaeltacht areas, to the extent possible."

Signage 

The Monitoring Report for 2019 also shows that 75% of signs at 10 heritage sites examined were compliant with the legislative requirements, but that over 40% of signs at the four universities under the auspices of the National University of Ireland were in English only.

Local authority websites, language schemes of Education & Training Boards and the interactive services of the Revenue Commissioners were also examined as part of the audit.

Official Languages Bill

An Coimisinéir Teanga said he hoped that the strengthening of the Official Languages Bill, as committed to in the Programme for Government, would rectify the situation where he is unable to proactively monitor any provision to do with the status or use of an official language in other Acts of the Oireachtas such as the Education Act, the Planning and Development Act and the Broadcasting Act. At present the Commissioner may only deal with allegations of non-compliance in these areas through an investigation.

• See also his Monitoring Report 2018

Strong forces express certain cultural problem.

I sent a letter last month* to the leaders of the three parties at present negotiating the formation of our next Government. It was addressed to the leaders and to the Dáil speakers on Gaeltacht/Gaeilge affairs and the Minister of State in the Department of Arts Heritage & the Gaeltacht. As in all my dealings with the Irish state I wrote in the National Language.

Linguistic respect?

I expected little more than a letter of acknowledgement from those addressed rather than a detailed response but at least I expected the response to courteously in the language I had used in writing to them.

These are the responses.

Taoiseach: Leo Varadkar TD - Silence!
Minister of State: Seanadóir Seán Kyne - Silence!

Leader of Opposition: Micheál Mairtín TD - Acknowledgement (in English)!
Gaeltacht Spokesman: Dara Calleary TD  - Silence!

Ceannaire Chomhaontas Glas: Éamonn Ryan TD - Respectful Acknowledgment
Marc Ó Cathasaigh TD: - Silence

Do these not display the interest and respect held in the body politic here for the National Language?

There has been a considerable amount of talk and agitation about racial prejudice in our country. This attention is well overdue and there was a lot of pain involved in hearing some unpleasant truths. The 7 Lá program on TG4 last night was very painful to watch as was the interview with the young GAA footballer on Saol Ó Dheas (RTÉ Raidío na Gaeltachta) the previous day.

Of course these painful truths about Irish Society have been known but unreferenced until recent decades. Bias against Travellers was and is in evidence for a long time but more recently that against the Irish from another tradition whether it be African, Asian or South American or indeed other European origins. The attitude of the Department of Justice shown to the conditions of those in Direct Provision is another example. Of course the attitude shown towards women is a longstanding discrimination not unique to Ireland. Are they not all sides of the same coin? (See also Ola Majekodunmi's little YouTube film: 'What does "Irishness" look like?').

Can the attitude towards those who choose to use their Irish as their language of communication with the State be victims of this kind of abuse? I have been trying to conduct business with State bodies since I was able to vote and it has become more rather than less difficult. Sometimes they even ask what my "real name" is! Can it be said that the state shelters an "institutionally linguistically racist" attitude in these matters?

When we live in a state where the Minister of Arts, Heritage & the Gaeltacht is perfectly happy to discuss matters concerning Arts and heritage but not on the Gaeltacht. Is it any wonder the President of Ireland could state (24 June 2016) "...I believe there is a certain cultural problem which controls the system, senior officers of the system and leadership..." which ensures Irish is rarely heard (my translation). This echoes the words of the only Ombudsman in Europe to resign on principle when he said (January 23, 2014) "that there are stronger and more widespread forces in place who have little or no concern for the future of our national language."

It is no wonder that Irish speakers are insulted and/or belittled in private and public, even on the airwaves. Why are you "speaking a dead language!" Indeed as part of a "Language Gestabo" or worse.  This disrespect does hurt no less than the "but where are you REALLY from" suffered by our fellow countrymen and women in another context. It also demeans the person administering the insult.

As far back as November 1892 the man who later became our first President expressed his astonishment on how the Irish people "continues to clamour for recognition as a distinct nationality, and at the same time throws away with both hands what would make it so."

Of course it is not quite the same as the racial prejudice but nonetheless as harmful since it also is a denial of basic rights. In the matter of language of course it is easier to abandon it than to abandon the colour of our skin or our sexual orientation.

* Litir chuig na Ceannairí (26 Bealtaine 2020)

11% Increase in complaints.

“There is a language crisis in the Gaeltacht as is and if the law to protect the Irish language in the Gaeltacht isn’t adhered to then it is clear the situation will deteriorate.”

GAEILGE

Kerry County Council breached the planning law by not implementing a language condition attached to planning permission for a housing development in the West Kerry Gaeltacht, according to an investigation carried out by An Coimisinéir Teanga.

The Language Commissioner described the investigation as ‘’an important one’’ due to the possible impact an increase in non-Irish speakers could have on ‘’the future of Irish as a community language in the Gaeltacht.”

“There is a language crisis in the Gaeltacht as is and if the law to protect the Irish language in the Gaeltacht isn’t adhered to then it is clear the situation will deteriorate,” An Coimisinéir Teanga added.

This is the first time an investigation was carried out on a provision of the Planning & Development Act 2000. Information on the investigation is included in the Annual Report of An Coimisinéir Teanga, which is published today.

The report shows a significant increase (11%) in the number of complaints received by the Office of An Coimisinéir Teanga last year. An Coimisinéir Teanga said that the increase highlights the continuing difficulties people experience accessing public services in Irish.

The majority of complaints related to signage and stationery, replies in English to correspondence in Irish, road signs and difficulty in using names and surnames in Irish.

The annual report also provides an update on how RTÉ has responded to findings by An Coimisinéir Teanga that the organisation breached the broadcasting law regarding its Irish language obligations by broadcasting 99% of its programmes on televison in English only.

"Three key reforms that I see as being necessary to strengthen the Act. These amendments relate to 

• the provision of State services in the Gaeltacht, 

• changes in State recruitment policies, and 

• the establishment of a system of language standards placing a clearer obligation on public bodies to serve the public in the country's first official language."

Report 2019

The Language Commissioner welcomed RTÉ’s commitment to significantly increase the amount of programming in Irish broadcast on television this year, but he said that more is needed to ensure the broadcaster fully complies with its language obligations under the Act.

The Language Commissioner also stressed the need for an amended Official Languages Act in his report. He said that an amended Bill, published late last year, doesn’t adequately address the lack of State services available through Irish. He also highlighted the lack of a deadline in the Bill relating to the number of Irish speakers that it says will be recruited to the public service.

• See also: The first monitoring report published by An Coimisinéir Teanga. (July 2019)

Bill publication an important first step!

Leagan Gaeilge

Publication of the Official Languages (Amendment Bill) is an important step, however more action needed on Gaeltacht and Recruitment. This is a translation of a statement from the Coimisinéir Teanga.

The publication of the Official Languages (Amendment) Bill is an important step in the process of bringing forth a stronger and more fit-for-purpose language Act. The opportunity to examine the proposed amendments is to be welcomed, but the deficiencies in the Bill are a matter of concern.

I have continually emphasized three key reforms that I see as being necessary to strengthen the Act. These amendments relate to the provision of State services in the Gaeltacht, changes in State recruitment policies, and the establishment of a system of language standards placing a clearer obligation on public bodies to serve the public in the country's first official language.

Reference is made in the new Bill to these matters and to a number of other important provisions, but the Bill, as it currently stands, does not adequately address some of the most important issues relating to the provision of public services through Irish and protecting the
language rights of the community.

The Gaeltacht
The fragile state of Irish in Gaeltacht areas is evident in the census results and in various pieces
of research over the past number of years. It is therefore vital that the provision of public
services through Irish in the Gaeltacht is placed on a statutory footing and that the language
rights of the Gaeltacht community should be underpinned by the legislation. Unfortunately,
at this stage, the Bill contains no firm provisions placing a duty upon the State to ensure that
the Gaeltacht community is served in their native language.

Recruitment
I support the recommendation that a national statutory plan for the provision of public
services through Irish be prepared and I agree that new recruitment policies and practices
should be an integral part of this plan. However, I am concerned that external experts and
the public are not adequately represented on the Advisory Committee to be established
under the amended Act to prepare the implementation plan. I am also concerned that there
is no stated deadline for the publication of the plan and that there is no statutory obligation
to implement any agreed plan.

System of Standards
One of the main provisions of the Bill is the proposal to replace the language schemes system
with a system of language standards. This is a worthwhile proposal, but it is difficult to judge
the possible impact of this change without sight of the draft standards. I believe that the
timely production of these draft standards would greatly benefit the process of assessing the
Bill.

In the coming weeks we will have an opportunity to dissect the proposed amendments to
the Official Languages Act and indeed other important matters not mentioned in this Bill.
The weaknesses in the existing legislation have long been highlighted and should be
addressed at this juncture. To not do so would be a missed opportunity.

In the course of this debate it is important that the needs of the language community and
their rights continue to be addressed, taking into account the status of Irish as the national
and first official language of the country.

A challange for UCDUCCTCDNUIGUUQUBULUMDCU!

In this blog last month I lamented the lack of knowledge of Irish literature among those Irish people who are unable to read it (in many cases after 11 years of study). In that article I mentioned in passing the remarks of a former Professor of Irish in Cork University, Alan Titley.

He has written (as he does almost every week) an article in the Irish Times (Irish) praising the decision of Education Minister Joe McHugh to continue the provision of history as a subject in our schools. This was despite the strong recommendations to the contrary including from the NCAA.

There was a paragraph in his article which struck me forcefully.

"Tá scoláireacht/aí dochtúireachta á dtairiscint ag Ollscoil Áth na Bó (nó Oxford duitse) ar son staidéir a dhéanamh ar stair na hÉireann san 18ú haois. Só bhfat? arsa tusa. Is í an mhórdhifríocht ná gur scoláireacht í ina gcaithfear leas a bhaint as na foinsí Gaeilge - na mílte díobh - d’fhonn na hoibre a dhéanamh. Is cuma nó réabhlóid sa staireolaíocht an méid seo féin.

Tá nach mór dochreidte gur scríobhadh stair na hÉireann tar éis turnamh na meánaoiseanna gan beann ar bith ar theanga na ndaoine a raibh an stair á scríobh fúthu..."

(There is a scholorship/docturship being offered by Oxford University for study on Irish history in the 18th century. What's unusual about that you might say. Of great interest is the fact that this study must use the resources available in Irish - thousands of them - in order to complete this work. This could be regarded as a revolution in its own right.

It is almost incredible that the history of Ireland after the collapse of the middle ages without the slightest reference to the language of the people about whom this history was been written...)

In fact this is perhaps the basis of the name I have given this blog - The Hidden Ireland. It is the name of a seminal work by another scholar of the School of Munster*, Daniel Corkery.

Of course, as Titley point out, there are historians who mine this rich resource like Vincent Morley, Néill Uí Chiosáin, Ghearóid Uí Thuathaigh, Bhreandáin Uí Bhuachalla and others but how many are blind to it's wealth. However how strange it is that the history of Ireland often is in fact the history of the English government of Ireland.

He wonders "Cad ina thaobh nár smaoinigh ollscoil éigin abhus ar bheart chomh réabhlóideach, chomh coimeádach, chomh soiléir, chomh lom, chomh nach mór meabhairphléascach sin, nárbh fholáir do staraithe na bunfhoinsí a léamh?"
(Why did no university here think of a plan so revolutionary, so conservative, so clear, so obvious, so mindbloggingly explosive as to suggest that historian read the basic sources!)

He asks is an of the Irish educational institutions ready to take up the challange.

What about it UCDUCCTCDNUIGUUQUBULUMDCU?

Translations are entirely my own and I have take a little liberty to get the message across and thus loose the author's pithy and imaginative delivery found in the original.

* Ionad Bairre Sgoil na Mumhan - Motto of UCC