Oileán amhainn, ach cad faoi Aontas na Gaeilge?
Cé go mbeadh nach bhfuil sé ceart a rá go bhfuil an córas tras-teorainn ag titim as a cheile, níl Con ró shásta leis na thograí á bhí curtha i láthair ag an tAire Eamonn O Cuív chun a bheith cúrsaí náisiúnta a dícheangail ón cúrsaí thuaigh theas:
…bunaíodh an Fhoras mar institiúid uile oileánda chun an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn. Anois tá orthu dul san iomaíocht leis an Udarás seo nó tá orthu focas as an úr a chur ar ghnóthaí tras teorainn. Tá sé deacair a dhéanamh amach cá thosnaíonn ‘tras teorainn’ agus cá chriochnaíonn ‘26 contae’.
A quick translation: The story in yesterday’s Tribune – http://www.tribune.ie/news/home-news/article/2009/nov/15/shake-up-of-irish-language-bodies-proposed/ – gives the bare bones of what’s being proposed. According to this the Minister is proposing to widen the remit of Udarás na Gaeltachta to include responsibility for the Irish language throughout the 26 counties and proposing that Foras na Gaeilge refocus its efforts on ‘cross border issues’ to do with Irish. Where does ‘cross border’ begin and ’26 counties’ end? It’s not as simple as the ‘border’.
The political significance is that this represents a fundamental undermining of the Good Friday Agreement which provided for meaningful cross border co-operation in a number of areas, including that of language. Now the cross border body founded for language is going to become more of a body for the north, it seems, as the southern minister’s new baby is launched.
I’m not saying that the current system isn’t broke and in need of repair – Foras na Gaeilge has been spectacularily unsuccessful to date. Even if we could figure out what it’s claiming as progress – it hasn’t published annual reports for 2005-8 yet – its poor communication and general incompetence has set a new standard for bureaucrats everywhere.
But is this the solution? And what’s the betting that Nelson McCausland and Co will see this as another opportunity to give the beleagured Irish language community in the north another kicking…. Are SF and the SDLP and the UUP asleep as the Good Friday Agreement is being unpicked by a Fianna Fáil minister?
I’m not claiming to speak for Ó Cuív, but it’s no secret that many Foras na Gaeilge initiatives, including something as basic as the recuitment of staff, were held up by Unionist Ministers. I’m guessing that Ó Cuiv is making this move in an attempt to get language policy well away from the likes of Poots and McCausland. Is it abandoning Northern Irish-speakers to their own fate? It looks a bit like that, especially if Foras is reduced to promotional campaigns and photo-ops.
Constitutional and cultural vandalism?
Or self preservation?
Os rud é go gcreidim go bhfuil an Ghaeilge nios tàbhachtaì nà na ‘cross border bodies’ seo, bheadh orm aontù leis an chinneadh seo màs riachtanach é chun an Ghaeilge a chosaint ò ionsaithe ò na haontachtòirì.
Nì féidir ligin do leithéidì McCausland tionchar a imirt go diultach ar pholasaithe teanga an deiscirt.
Bímís buioch do Shinn Féin, mar sin, agus Eamon O Cuív as oileán na hÉireann a scoilt ó thaobh na Gaeilge de. We should be grateful therefore, GGN, to Sinn Féin for ensuring, by not taking the Culture portfolio, that Ireland would be partitioned in terms of the promotion of the Irish Language.
GGN is like the proverbial turkey voting for Christmas – because he soon will feel the effect of being cast out in the cold by this decision as Nelson McCausland pounces upon the vulnerable Foras. I’m no fan of Foras na Gaeilge – but this is a bad move in the wrong direction. Unless someone can show me otherwise….
COL,
Os rud é nàr votàil mise ar son Chomhaontù an Chneasta – nì orm atà an locht.
In the pruning that’s going on down South is it possible that O Cuiv’s department might be split up and the various bits absorbed by other departments?
Fáilte arais, a Phréacháin! Shil mé go rachaidh tú go dtí an ‘dark side’, gan focal gaeilge ar bith le clisteaint asat.
Probably not as the Department has just advertised for a General Secretary at great expense in the national media….doesn’t seem like a department on the way out. Interestingly, it’s reported that the appointee will be working from the Department’s office in Charlestown, Co. Mayo. It’s neither in Dublin – where influence is wielded nor is it in the Gaeltacht, where influence is also wielded, but in the sticks of Mayo where Irish is not essential for Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs personnel.
Faoi láthair, tá an Ghaeilge níos tábhachtaí ná Éire Athaontaithe ach ag an am céanna sílim féin go mbíonn sé ar leas na teanga má eagraítear rudaí ar bhonn náisiúnta. Tá an tír ró-bheag le bheith ag scoilt na n-áiseanna atá againn ó thaobh na Gaeilge de.
Begone, leprechauns!