Lá have lost two posts in the last week. Editor of Ireland’s only daily Irish newspaper Ciarán Ó Pronntaigh believes that the shutting down of European funding was as a direct consequence of pressure from senior Ulster Unionist politicians:”Unionists, including Lord Laird of Artigarvan and Lady Sylvia Hermon, have managed to block vital grant-aid for Lá from Europe and the cross-border body Foras na Gaeilge.”
“The Andersonstown News Group has kept Lá afloat by investing over £150,000 in the paper since it went daily in April ’03. However, with funding from INTERREG and Foras na Gaeilge being blocked at the instigation of Lord Laird and Lady Hermon, jobs have to go.
“Although our office in the Donegal Gaeltacht has been open since June, and a contract signed with INTERREG, not one penny of our grant has been paid. Similarly, Foras na Gaeilge have now delayed an application for grant aid from Lá”.
Mick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty