Thanks to the nameless reader who provided most of the following
With 24 out of the 27 SF MLAs unable to converse in Irish but Gerry Adams sticking to the language like his reasón d’étré, there is no mention of an Irish Language Act post Hillsborough (they are now gunning for an Irish language ‘strategy’ to be devised by Nelson Mc Causeland!).
Will this be detrimental to the future of the teanga?
SF seem to have gone back on their 2007 Irish language manifesto:
We demand an Irish Language Act which is based on the following principles;
• Keep to the time-frame and spirit of the St Andrews commitment
• Place Irish speakers Rights at the heart of the Act
• Make available adequate resources to implement the Act
• Appoint an Irish Language Commissioner for the North.”
But as it says when you click the link for the website launched at the time (www.roinnanchuluir.ie) ‘Oops! This link appears to be broken’
Gerry Adams now says:
“There should be a draft strategy on the Irish language before long. The focus then will be to make this viable; with clear objectives and timeframes, and the inclusive involvement of Gaeilgeoirí to figger [SIC] all this out. “
£12 million was received in the negotiations with Brown on June 17, 2008 for the Irish language broadcast fund. Did that day sound the death-knell for any Act? Was this all SF could negotiate?
Update below the foldDid SF support the Irish language when:
-its members on the foras na gaeilge board voted to close Lá Nua down, meaning 10 people lost their jobs
-its members on the board (Seanna Walsh, Lucilita Breathnach, Gino Gallagher and Mark Rodgers) refused to support a community ininiative called an Breadan Feasa at Springvale in Belfast
-the education minister opted to close down meanscoil dhoire in derry and refused to support coláiste na spéiriní in cookstown
-the 5 ministers will not respond to letters in Irish from the public
-The leadership of said party believe the Irish language community are “quaint” and “eccentric” and not to be taken seriously
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