A chara, – Conchúr Ó Giollagáin and Brian Ó Curnáin contend that in the absence of State action along the lines they propose, the Irish language will "not survive beyond the next 10 years as a community language" ("The Gaeltacht must be broken and remade to save Irish", Opinion & Analysis, April 28th).
Their article further claims that “current policies, including the State’s 20-year strategy for the Irish language, are irrelevant”.
From an actuarial perspective if anything else, would not most individual Irish speakers currently living in the Gaeltacht expect to outlive that prognosis by anything from two to five or six decades more – not accounting for the next generations they may be rearing there as Gaeilge?
There are relevant State policies as regards supporting the Irish language. I’m delighted that TG4 and Raidió na Gaeltachta feature in my daily life and that of so many others. I’m also happy that my children attend a Gaelscoil and are destined for an all-Irish language secondary school here in Waterford city.
The education system in Ireland, at all of its levels, maintains the position of the Irish language.
Significant resources are deployed in the implementation of the Official Languages Act and other recognition of Irish across local authorities and hundreds of public bodies.
Notwithstanding room for change and that more could be done for the language and where it is spoken, Conchúr and Brian’s proposals on establishment of new speaker bases, a community trust, an “assembly for Gaels” and an academy overlook the potential of existing public entities covering this ground.
What about the Department of Arts, Heritage & Gaeltacht Affairs?
The implementation of the 2012 Gaeltacht Act actually involves communities themselves in language planning. There are also universities and other third-level institutions that are very active in respect of the Irish language.
I cannot understand how a prominent article on the Irish language could not once refer to either Foras na Gaeilge or Údarás na Gaeltachta.
Foras, by virtue of its intergovernmental nature, is charged with promoting Irish in all 32 counties. Údarás na Gaeltachta has played a vital role for the State in stimulating economic and social development necessary to ensuring that such Irish-speaking communities remain in seven counties for the likes of Conchúr and Brian to study.
As a Gaeltacht native (from Ring, Co Waterford) now living in an English-language community also known for its Gaels (Ballygunner, Waterford), I will continue to speak Irish to my three children and look forward to the State encouraging others to do likewise. “Labhair í agus mairfidh sí”. – Is mise,
FIACHRA
Ó CÉILLEACHAIR,
Comhalta Bord Údarás
na Gaeltachta,
Port Láirge.