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Concern expressed at proposal to abolish Údarás na Gaeltachta

Issued : Thursday 26 November, 2009

A proposal to abolish Údarás na Gaeltachta – contained in the Government’s draft  20-year Strategy for the Irish Language – has been described as “regrettable” by the Ring/Old Parish area Board member of the state’s authority for the social and economic development of Irish speaking communities.

Fiachra Ó Céilleachair was reacting to the publication of “Dréacht Straitéis 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge 2010-2030”, which was circulated by Minister Eamon Ó Cuiv TD’s Dept. of Community, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs to all Members of the Oireachtas today.

Among many considerations identified in the draft Strategy, it's envisaged that each Gaeltacht area would be subject to a Language Development Plan – with adherence to it being a condition for retention of such status into the future. The draft also posits the “sharing of services” between Minister Ó Cuiv’s department and local authorities, with production of a local Gaeltacht Area Development Plan being a statutory role for Waterford County Council in the case of Ring and Old Parish.

Fiachra Ó Céilleachair says Údarás na Gaeltachta, on the whole, has been a positive force since its establishment 30 years ago. He feels that the draft Strategy’s proposal of replacing it with an “Údarás na Gaeilge” featuring a statewide remit on cultural matters only (minus the enterprise promotion role of Údarás na Gaeltachta) would be a retrograde step.  The Ring/Old Parish representative feels that ceding the economic development side of the present Údarás to the IDA is not something that will be supported by colleagues on the current Board or in the communities that elected them.

Assessing the possible implications for the Údarás, Mr. Ó Céilleachair said:

“As is the case in Ring/Old Parish since 1999, people in the Gaeltacht took pride in electing representatives to a body with its own budget and clear responsibilities for maintaining economic activity in the parts of seven counties where the language survives as a principal medium in the community. The next elections to the body, due in the next few months and in which I confirmed I would not be a candidate, have been postponed. As things stand instead, we are now due a decommissioning of this fine body throughout 2010 and its replacement (following legislation) from 2011 with a much weaker national body. Uncertainty surrounds whether provision would exist for an elected representative of the Co. Waterford Gaeltacht at all in such an alternative.”

“For my own part, I encourage debate as to the place of the Irish language in our society. There are things we need to change. Indeed, I’ve argued for an expansion of the Údarás’s remit – whether for advocacy in planning matters or for a conditional merger with MFG (Meitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta, the EU Leader Programme administrators in Irish speaking areas). I think, however, that it's a mistake to shape the Údarás into what Bord na Gaeilge was as a precedent to the establishment of Foras na Gaeilge as a cross border institution. It remains to be seen over the next few weeks if Minister Ó Cuiv will stand over what has been set out in the draft Strategy. I would appeal to him to reflect on the successes of the Údarás, as regards the promotion of economic activity in Ring, Old Parish and elsewhere. He should not disarm the Gaeltacht of an agency with such influence.”

(ends)

Notes to Editor:

For copy of the draft Strategy, see http://www.pobail.ie/en/PressReleases/

For information on Údarás na Gaeltachta, see www.Udaras.ie

For information on MFG (Meitheal Forbartha na Gaeltachta), see www.MFG.ie

For information on Foras na Gaeilge, see www.Gaeilge.ie

For information on the Dept. of Community, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs, see www.Pobail.ie  

(Comhalta Údarás na Gaeltachta),

 Tel. (087) 222 0235.