Gealltanais an Rialtais & FF i leith na Gaeilge Briste – Ó Clochartaigh

Tá an laghdú ar mhaoiniú don Ghaeilge, Ghaeltacht & na hOileáin i mBuiséad 2017 cáinte go mór ag an Seanadóir, Trevor Ó Clochartaigh.

Ag labhairt dó i ndiaidh na h-óráidí buiséid inniu deir urlabhraí Gaeilge & Gaeltachta Shinn Féin:

‘D'fhógair an tAire Caiteachais Phoiblí agus Athchóirithe inniu go mbeidh laghdú 9% ar mhaoiniú Rialtais don Ghaeilge, Gaeltacht agus na hOileáin.

‘Tá sé dochreidte gur labhair an tAire Donohoe faoin tábhacht a bhaineann lenár n-oidhreacht agus cultúr le linn na bliana comórtha seo agus é go bhfuil sé ag an am céanna ag gearradh siar a an t-airgead a thugtar dó chun é a chaomhnú agus a fhorbairt. Ba léir le linn a chuid cainte gur cuma leis an Aire faoi thodhchaí na teanga, ar nós a chuid comhghleacaithe sa rialtas.

‘Agus cén fáth nár sheas Fianna Fáil an fód ar cheist na Gaeilge? Céard faoi na gealltanais a thugann siad do phobal na Gaeilge ó thaobh an gá le breis maoiniú de?

‘Níl ann ach seachtain ó bhí Conradh na Gaeilge ag impí ar chomhaltaí an Oireachtais, níos mó airgid a thabhairt don teanga, ach is léir gur tugadh cluas bodhar don éileamh sin.

‘Tá gearradh siar mór ar airgead caipitil na Roinne, níl aon airgead breise d’Fhoras na Gaeilge, ní amhlaidh atá i bhfoirmhór na ranna eile.

‘Tá an oiread sin le déanamh láithreach i leith na Gaeilge mar a dhearbhaigh an Coimisinéar Teanga tamall ó shin agus mar atá léirithe i dtuarascáil ó Thithe an Oireachtais go raibh an Ghaeilge i mbaol mar theanga bheo.

‘Tá sé seo dubh agus bán. Ní féidir a rá go bhfuil tú ar son na Gaeilge ar thaobh amháin agus tionscnaimh agus scéimeanna Gaeilge a fhagáil in áit na leathphingne ar an taobh eile.

‘Tá Sinn Féin tiomanta d’fhorbairt na Gaeilge. I measc na mbeartas inár gcáinaisnéis chomhroghnach, bhí €1.5m breise do phleanáil teanga, €5m breise in airgead caipitil d’Údarás na Gaeltachta, €4.5m breise mar chreidiúint cánach Gaeltachta agus €7.58m breise d’Fhoras na Gaeilge. Bheadh pobal na Gaeilge & Gaeltachta nios fearr as le Sinn Féin i rialtas.

‘Tá an Rialtas maraon le Fianna Fáil agus na neamhspleáigh atá á gcoinneáil i gcumhacht ag teipeadh ar phobal na Gaeilge & na Gaeltachta agus níor chóir do phobal na Gaeilge tacú leo feasta’

Government Promises on the Irish Language Broken - Ó Clochartaigh

Seanadóir Trevor Ó Clochartaigh has strongly condemned the cuts in funding to the Irish Language, An Ghaeltacht and the Islands in Budget 2017.

Speaking after the Budget speech today the Sinn Féin spokesperson on the Irish Language and the Gaeltacht said:

"The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform announced that there would be a 9% reduction in government funding for the Irish Language, An Ghaeltacht and the Islands.

“It is unbelievable that Minister Donohue spoke about the importance of our heritage and culture during this commemoration year and at the same time cutting back on the money to preserve and develop it. It is now clear that the Minister, in line with his colleagues, couldn't care less about the future of the language.

“And why did Fianna Fáil not stand their ground in relation to Irish language. What of the promises they made to the Irish language community about the need for extra funding.

“It was only a week ago that Conradh na Gaeilge asked members of the Oireachtas for increased funding for the language, but it is clear that this fell on deaf ears.

“There is a big cutback in capital funding of the Department, there is no extra money for Foras na Gaeilge, unlike in many of the other Departments.

“There is so much that needs to be done urgently in terms of the language as confirmed by the Language Commissioner a while ago and as laid out in an internal Oireachtas report on the viability of the language as a living language.

“This is black and white. You cannot say that you are fully behind the language on one hand and on the other hand strip the projects and schemes that sustain it of their funding.

“Sinn Féin is committed to the development of the Irish language. Among our policies in our Alternative

Budget was €1.5m extra for language planning and €5m extra in capital funding of Údarás na Gaeltachta, €4.5 m extra in tax credits for attending Gaeltacht courses and €7.58m for Foras na Gaeilge. The Irish language and Gaeltacht communities would be far better off with Sinn Féin in government.

“The Government along with Fianna Fail and the independents who are keeping them in power are failing the Irish language and Gaeltacht communities and they should no longer support them."