More than 40 Irish-language and Gaeltacht groups across Ireland staged a half-day strike on Wednesday in protest over funding cuts recently announced to the sector.
The four-hour strike followed an announcement last month by the State’s primary funding agency for the Irish language, Foras na Gaeilge, that a budgetary shortfall of more than €820,000 would result in cuts to a range of services and initiatives delivered by community and advocacy groups to the public.
Protesters called for the reversal of the €820,000 cuts, an additional €20 million to fund an investment plan for the Irish language and Gaeltacht regions, and reform of the cross-Border funding model to enable increased funding to the sector.
“We are on strike because we are not satisfied that enough is being done to fix the problems Foras na Gaeilge have with their structural funding,” said Julian de Spáinn, general secretary of Conradh na Gaeilge, one of the groups affected by the budget cut.
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Cross-Border body Foras na Gaeilge oversees funding for community development initiatives, arts programming, drama productions, summer camps, third-level scholarships, key organisations and Irish language media – all of which are facing cuts as a result of the funding crisis at the organisation.
Irish-language advocacy groups have long criticised financial support for the sector as inadequate, noting that Foras na Gaeilge’s funding has remained virtually static since the 2008 economic crash, despite improved national finances and increased support for other State agencies.
They say growing public demand for Irish language services, coupled with legislative requirements, necessitates immediate and substantial funding increases.
“This has been going on for over 20 years,” said Mr de Spáinn. “When you take inflation into account, Foras na Gaeilge has 40 per cent less funding today than it did then, while at the same time the Arts Council went from €40 million to €140 million,” he added.
[ Minister to discuss Irish language cuts with cross-Border bodyOpens in new window ]
“Local community groups used to get €80,000 when the language schemes were set up originally. Now they get €46,000 and when you take wages and rent out of the equation, they are not left with any budget to work with,” he said.
“The general public is so open and so positive about the language, but we’re not capitalising on that.”
Funding for Foras na Gaeilge is delivered through a cross-Border model which requires Dublin and Stormont to maintain a fixed 75:25 ratio, with the Irish Government providing three-quarters of the annual budget and the Stormont Executive contributing the remainder.
Any funding increase must preserve this ratio, and efforts to boost the budget to meet growing public demand and rising operational costs have faced opposition from the DUP at Stormont.
Groups participating in the campaign, entitled RAIC (Réiteach Anois, Infheistíocht Chothrom – Solution Now, Fair Investment), are calling on both governments to develop a long-term solution for Irish-language funding.
“It’s not good enough. It hasn’t been good enough for the last 20 years. Yes, it is part of the Good Friday agreement, but if they can’t resolve this structural funding problem at Foras na Gaeilge then they have to go around Foras na Gaeilge,” said Mr de Spáinn.
“At the end of the day this money needs to be put into community services and events.”
Groups involved in the strike include Conradh na Gaeilge, Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich, Cultúrlann Uí Chianáin, Cumann Cultúrtha Mhic Reachtain, Cumann Óige Uachtar Chluanaí, Cumann na bhFiann, Dúchas an Daingean, Dún Garbhán le Gaeilge, Fís an Phobail, Fóram na nÓg, Gaelphobal Ard Mhacha Theas, Glór Mhachaire Fíolta, Glór na Maoile, Glór na Móna, Glór na nGael, Glór na Spéiríní, Oireachtas na Gaeilge and Turas.
Speaking to The Irish Times on Wednesday, Minister for the Gaeltacht Dara Calleary said he understood the frustration felt by the Irish language community and that communication with the cross-Border language body’s co-sponsor in the North is taking place.
“A lot of work is under way, and we are in constant communication with the Department for Communities in the North,” he said.
Asked about the call for additional funding of €20 million sought by Conradh na Gaeilge, Mr Calleary said “a discussion about longer-term arrangements” will take place, but his focus is on the “short-term issue” of the Foras na Gaeilge shortfall.
“We will have to discuss that with [Minister for Public Expenditure] Jack Chambers and other Ministers, but at this point we are focused on the short-term issue.
“I do understand the frustration,” he added.
Mr Calleary was speaking at the Royal Irish Academy, where he announced funding of €1.1 million over four years for Foclóir Stairiúil na Gaeilge, a project aimed at producing an authoritative dictionary for modern Irish based on material from 1600 to the present day.
