Conor Shiels with the Irish News reports that Education Minister Paul Givan has stepped in to save an Irish Language scheme that was under threat of being axed.
“The Irish language schools scheme was in dire straits before education minister Paul Givan rubber stamped a £100,000 grant — just months after he declined an offer to even meet the group behind it. It was feared that the Scoil Spreagtha scheme, which aims to promote the use of Irish by under-11s, was facing a bleak future due to a lack of funding with no further avenues in sight.”
The scheme is run by Gael Linn, an all-island Irish Language advocacy group which states that their main aim “is to foster and promote the Irish language and its heritage throughout Ireland as a living language and as an expression of identity.”
According to Shiels, Givan stepped in after a meeting between himself and Gael Linn was facilitated by the SDLP MLA Patsy McGlone.
“The minister met with the group and Mr McGlone — who brokered the meeting — in May and after lengthy discussions it was reported that Mr Givan would “look again” at funding options for the project. A source with knowledge of the meeting told The Irish News: “What could have been quite a short meeting turned out to be quite a lengthy discussion and it is my understanding that the minister really listened to what they had to say about the project.” It is understood that the money is coming from the RAISE programme, which is funded through the Shared Island Fund and then allocated to projects across the north through the Department for Education.”
It seems a positive outcome for all stakeholders involved and offers the Education Minister and his party a moment of good press in relation to the Irish language. It is also a personal triumph for Patsy McGlone, whose advocacy of Gael Linn’s cause helped sway the Minister’s opinion.
Elsewhere, the Irish News confirms that our cultural commissioners have now received formal job offers…
“The north’s first Irish language and Ulster Scots commissioners are expected to take up their roles next month after receiving letters confirming their appointment. The correspondence brings to an end weeks of uncertainty during which it was speculated that First Minister Michelle O’Neill and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly were unable to conclude the appointment process…Foras na Gaeilge deputy chief executive Pól Deeds and former Belfast DUP councillor Lee Reynolds were named by the BBC in August as the respective commissioners for Irish language and the Ulster Scots-British tradition.”
It’s been over five years since the ‘New Decade, New Approach‘ deal that resurrected Stormont from the last collapse but one stipulated the appointment of the two commissioners. It is worth reminding ourselves that the two Commissioners do not have the same responsibilities. Whereas Pól Deeds will be ‘recognising, supporting, protecting and enhancing the development of the Irish language in Northern Ireland and providing official recognition of the status of the Irish Language in Northern Ireland’ to paraphrase the relevant passage in the agreement, Lee Reynolds will be ‘enhancing and developing the language, arts and literature associatedwith the Ulster-Scots /Ulster-British tradition and providing official recognition of the status of the Ulster-Scots language in Northern Ireland’.
We at Slugger wish both men well in their new roles and look forward to seeing how their efforts to promote their respective causes bears fruit in the coming years.
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