I’ve been sent a Green Party / Comhaontas Glas press release in relation to its Irish language polices in the run-up to the European and local elections and it makes for some interesting reading. Will it overcome my well-known antipathy to the Greens following their disastrous coalition with Fianna Fáil and the erosion of national sovereignty and democracy that they oversaw at its tattered end? Probably not but at least it carries more substance on Irish rights than any of the proposals that I’ve seen so far from the other parties and candidates clamouring for our votes.
According to their website the Green Party commits itself to its language policies on an All-Ireland basis, supporting the all-party 20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language as the mechanism for driving forward its desire to see a bilingual Ireland. Nationally it calls for the full implementation of the Official Languages Act of 2003 while regionally it supports the campaign for an Irish Language Act in the north-east (the Irish and English texts are far from assertive on the latter question). It supports the continued independence of the office of the Language Commissioner and proposes that its role is expanded to cover matters relating to linguistic standards by public bodies. In terms of equality the Canadian style of bilingual government services is favoured with an Irish Unit within the Department of the Taoiseach to oversee the implementation of relevant state policies. Other policy suggestions include calls for the adoption and greater use of accredited translators, expanded use of the Irish language in education, further research on Irish medium schooling, increased budgets for TG4 and RnaG, and a new organisation to promote Irish amongst immigrant communities (an excellent idea). The examination of the many problems effecting the Gaeltachtaí or recognised Irish-speaking communities shows some sense of urgency and appropriately so.
Here is the statement issued to the media:
“Cairt Teanga seolta ag an gComhaontas Glas le tacú le fíor-dhátheangachas
Tá an Comhaontas Glas tar éis Cairt Teanga nuafhaofa a sheoladh don pháirtí, rud a leagann amach an chaoi a gcothóidh sé dátheangachas agus mar a chuirfidh sé fáilte roimh úsáid na Gaeilge sa pháirtí féin idir seo agus an chéad Olltoghchán eile. Dréachfar Cairt nua ina dhiaidh sin agus í bunaithe ar aiseolas, ceachtanna a foghlaimíodh agus taithí a fuarthas i gcur i bhfeidhm na chéad Chairte.
Agus é ag caint faoin doiciméad seo, dúirt Seán Ó Buachalla, cathaoirleach ghrúpa polasaí Gaeilge an pháirtí gur “dearbhú poiblí é an doiciméad seo faoi thiomantas an Chomhaontais Ghlais do spreagadh fhás na Gaeilge sa pháirtí féin. Ach tá sé seo difriúil le ráitis bhéalchráifeachta na bpáirtithe eile go léir i leith na teanga sa chaoi go leagann sé plean foirmiúil amach don dá bhliain amach romhainn faoin mbealach a dhéanfar seo i ngach gné den pháirtí. Beidh an plean seo ar taispeáint do chách ar an suíomh gréasáin náisiúnta, agus creidimid go gcabhróidh an trédhearcacht seo le, agus go gcinnteoidh sé cur i bhfeidhm ceart.”
“Bhí an Chairt seo dréachtaithe tar éis do rún a bheith rite ar an gceist seo ag Ardfheis an pháirtí i mí an Mhárta, nuair a cuireadh an togra seo chun cinn. Scríobhadh í trí chomhairliúchán le baill uile an pháirtí agus bhí sí daingnithe ag Comhairle Náisiúnta agus Comhairle Feidhmiúcháin Náisiúnta an pháirtí, mar sin tá an-tacaíocht agus dlisteanacht bainte amach aici taobh istigh den Chomhaontas Glas féin agus cabhróidh sé seo le rath a chur uirthi,” arsa an tUasal Ó Buachalla.
“Tar éis don Choimisinéir Teanga éirí as a phost agus feachtas náisiúnta teacht ar an bhfód ar son cearta Gaeilge, bhraith an Comhaontas Glas go raibh sé thar am ag páirtí polaitíochta éigin iarracht a dhéanamh deireadh a chur leis an bhfimínteacht pholaitiúil maidir le ceist na teanga agus “beart a dhéanamh de réir ár mbriathair” ó thaobh spreagadh agus tacú leis an nGaeilge de, agus é a dhéanamh ar bhealach fiúntach agus dea-phleanáilte,” a dúirt sé mar fhocal scoir.
(Tá an Chairt Teanga ar taispeáint chomh maith ar shuíomh gréasáin an Chomhaontais Ghlais as Gaeilge agus as Béarla sa rannán dar teideal ‘Doiciméid Eile’ ar an leathanach ‘Polasaithe’).”
AN SIONNACH FIONN 
I’ve been sent a Green Party / Comhaontas Glas press release in relation to its Irish language polices in the run-up to the European and local elections and it makes for some interesting reading. Will it overcome my well-known antipathy to the Greens following their disastrous coalition with Fianna Fáil and the erosion of national sovereignty and democracy that they oversaw at its tattered end? Probably not but at least it carries more substance on Irish rights than any of the proposals that I’ve seen so far from the other parties and candidates clamouring for our votes.
According to their website the Green Party commits itself to its language policies on an All-Ireland basis, supporting the all-party 20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language as the mechanism for driving forward its desire to see a bilingual Ireland. Nationally it calls for the full implementation of the Official Languages Act of 2003 while regionally it supports the campaign for an Irish Language Act in the north-east (the Irish and English texts are far from assertive on the latter question). It supports the continued independence of the office of the Language Commissioner and proposes that its role is expanded to cover matters relating to linguistic standards by public bodies. In terms of equality the Canadian style of bilingual government services is favoured with an Irish Unit within the Department of the Taoiseach to oversee the implementation of relevant state policies. Other policy suggestions include calls for the adoption and greater use of accredited translators, expanded use of the Irish language in education, further research on Irish medium schooling, increased budgets for TG4 and RnaG, and a new organisation to promote Irish amongst immigrant communities (an excellent idea). The examination of the many problems effecting the Gaeltachtaí or recognised Irish-speaking communities shows some sense of urgency and appropriately so.
Here is the statement issued to the media:
Share
Like this: