Under-fire Údarás na Gaeltachta should retain the primary function of developing the economy and infrastructure of the Gaeltacht, a new report issued last night (Wednesday ) from the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Sport, Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs has concluded.
In its report on the 20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030, the committee concludes that Údarás has a critical role to play in the protection and nurturing of the Gaeltacht and says it is essential that a restructured Údarás does not have any reduction in the services it provides there.
The wide ranging report also suggests that a new subject on Irish arts and literature should be introduced into the school curriculum in order to foster greater interest in traditional Irish culture. It also calls for formal recognition to be given to the existence of ‘Pocket Gaeltachts’ throughout Ireland.
The committee recommends that a restructured Údarás na Gaeltachta should; retain a primary role in planning and housing matters within the Gaeltacht; regularly review the effectiveness of the available housing grants within the Gaeltacht; gather information on effective new enterprises by co-operative societies in order to identify and disseminate best practice with a special emphasis on enterprises that encourage community participation and activity; and design work experience programmes both inside and outside the Gaeltacht that are directed at university students and especially at students who have graduated in Irish.
Chairman of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Sport, Community and Gaeltacht Affairs, Tom Kitt, TD, said: “The ongoing viability of the Irish language can only be sustained by the continuing existence of sustainable Gaeltacht communities where Irish remains the primary language of the community, the dominant language of the household, and the first language of the child in her or his formative years. These communities can only be sustained where they exist within viable local economies providing jobs to the community. This is so important that the committee wishes to particularly emphasise the proposal in our report that calls for retaining the economic development of the Gaeltacht as the primary role of Údarás na Gaeltachta.”
Greater communications and co-operation by the Department of Education and Skills, the voluntary organisations and the Gaeltacht community should be fostered, according to the report. Without this co-operation the Strategy will be unable to meet the objectives that are outlined in it, the report warns.
The Committee’s report advocates restructuring An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta as a statutory body with defined powers in relation to representing the views and suggestions of stakeholders in the Irish language in regard to the formulation of education policies for the Gaeltacht and the Irish language Communities.
Among the report’s other key recommendations are that the Department of Education and Skills should ensure the adequate availability of Irish language schools to all communities in Ireland when it is deciding on the establishment and location of new schools;
It also called for the development of a new syllabus for Irish from junior infants to the Leaving Certificate that will take account of the different developmental language requirements for native speakers, students who are being educated through the medium of the Irish language and other proficient Irish language students. It also called for greater encouragement of social netwokring media through Irish and for the creation of the new subject - Irish arts and literature.
