The new Gaeltacht Commission gets cracking today on its initiative to halt the decline of the Irish language. The first of 30 consultative meetings to measure public opinion will be held in Galway's Town Hall Theatre tonight.
Gaeltacht towns and cities outside the traditional Irish-speaking boundaries will be covered by the programme, details of which were announced on behalf of Coimisiun na Gaeltachta last week by Irish Olympic canoeist Eadaoin Ni Challarain.
This week, the Connemara round will be held in An Cheathru Rua, Ceantar na nOilean and Ros Muc/Camus, and next week the coimisiun moves south to Cork and Kerry. Further Connemara Gaeltacht meetings will be held after Christmas.
Some 27,000 Gaeltacht homes are being surveyed as part of the coimisiun's drive to canvass views and to make recommendations to Government for an "Irish language survival plan".
With pressure coming on the language from all sides, the coimisiun believes that its future could depend on this effort.
"As a young person living in the Gaeltacht, the future of the language is very important to me, "Ms Ni Challarain said at last week's function in Galway. "Coimisiun na Gaeltachta is a very real opportunity to do something about the decline of Irish, and the Gaeltacht as a whole."
In a separate development, Udaras na Gaeltachta has signalled that provision of creche and pre-school facilities will be an integral part of future industrial estates in Gaeltacht areas.
Regional managers have been asked to locate suitable premises for establishing naoinrai (Irish language pre-schools) and creches, according to Mr Padraic O hAolain, deputy chief executive for regional development.
It is envisaged that this would not only meet a growing demand for childcare in the Gaeltacht but would also cultivate the Irish language among the new generation.
Already, the udaras has been involved in grant-aiding about 85 naoinrai in Gaeltacht areas nationwide, but independent board member Mr Seosamh O Cuaig has called for organised childcare for Gaeltacht parents - and he made it an issue in his election campaign last year.
Mr O hAolain told The Irish Times that such social supports in rural areas were an essential part of meeting labour shortages.
"The Government has announced provision of a substantial budget towards childcare and we hope to work with local groups to make the most of this fund."
Meanwhile, in east Galway the town of Loughrea aims to show that is has more than the cupla focal today when its branch of Conradh na Gaeilge publishes a survey on the state of Irish among the population.
The survey dates from February to August of this year and involved over twothirds of the 800 houses in the town. It compared figures in the 1996 census and noticed a very high support for the language, and for the new gaelscoil which has opened there. Many respondents said they would also like to see a ionra naoinra provided.
In an effort to create a supportive outof-school environment for pupils in Gaelscoil Riabhach, some 43 staff in 17 shops in Loughrea have agreed to try to use Irish more frequently with customers.
TG4 plans to release results tonight of the first of a series of monthly MRBI polls on constituencies nationwide, starting with its home base in Galway West.
The likely impact on politicians of competition from Independent European MEP Ms Dana Rosemary Scallon is gauged in the poll, as is the current performance of the elected representatives - Fianna Fail's Marine Minister Mr Fahey; junior Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and Islands Minister Mr Eamon O Cuiv; PD junior Environment Minister Mr Bobby Molloy; Labour TD and former Arts minister Mr Michael D. Higgins; and Fine Gael's Mr Padraig McCormack.
So far, Ms Scallon has not ruled out standing for the Dail but has continued to fuel speculation about whether she would opt for Galway East or Galway West.
