NUI Galway has launched a survey to gather the views of the public on the proposed Irish Language Plan for Galway City 2019-2026.
The research is being conducted on behalf of the Galway City Council and Gaillimh le Gaeilge as part of the preparation of an Irish language plan for the city. The online survey will run until Friday April 12 and aims to assess the desires and needs of the community in relation to the development of the Irish language in Galway.
Under the Gaeltacht Act of 2012, Galway has been nominated a Gaeltacht service town and is required to develop its own plan to increase the use of Irish within the city.
Last year, Dr John Walsh of the Department of Irish and Dr Dorothy Ní Uigín of Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge, NUI Galway were appointed by the Galway City Council and Gaillimh le Gaeilge to develop an Irish language plan for the city. A new steering group, Coiste Stiúrtha Pleanála Teanga Gaillimh was established to support, guide, and oversee the progress and the delivery of the language plan. Members of the coiste represent a broad cross-section of the public, private, community, and voluntary sectors in Galway city.
Dr Walsh and Dr Ní Uigín said: “We are delighted to launch this online survey as part of our research into the views of those living in Galway towards the Irish language. We are also conducting interviews and focus groups with a broad range of people including Irish speakers and those who are interested in becoming more active in their use of the language.”
Chief executive of the Galway City Council, Brendan McGrath, said: “Galway City Council has made a strong commitment in recent years to the development of Galway as a bilingual city. We are extremely pleased to be working with NUI Galway and Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge in association with Gaillimh le Gaeilge and the partner organisations of Coiste Stiúrtha Pleanála Teanga Gaillimh in this phase of the Irish language plan’s progression. The city council is particularly pleased to be able to draw on the Irish language expertise available to us locally in the university.”
Cathaoirleach of Gaillimh le Gaeilge, Bernadette Mullarkey, said: “Gaillimh le Gaeilge is looking forward to hearing the views of the people of Galway in relation to the Irish language plan for the city. This information will be key to developing a sustainable and an effective plan for the Irish language in our city. Therefore, it is very important that they avail of this opportunity to voice their opinions so that the plan will achieve its objectives to further promote, support, and increase the communicative use of the Irish language in everyday life as well as strengthening Galway’s status as a bilingual city.”
This project is co-funded by Foras na Gaeilge through the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and Galway City Council. It is intended that the city’s Irish language plan will be launched in the autumn.
The survey is available at: http://www.nuigalway.ie/gaeilgebheo/.
