27 Feb 2012, 12:10
Representatives from Foras Na Gaeilge and Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge will address the Committee on Environment, Transport, Culture and the Gaeltacht on the new funding model for Irish language organisations and the review of the Official Languages Act and the office of the Language Commissioner at its meeting tomorrow, Tuesday, 28th February.
Committee Cathaoirleach Ciarán Lynch, TD said: “We’re looking forward to our meeting tomorrow with Foras Na Gaeilge and Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge.
The proposed new funding model for Irish language organisations has caused much concern among certain voluntary organisations involved in the sector. Conradh na Gaeilge has already expressed its concerns to the Committee at our meeting on 8th February 2012 and the Committee is exploring this further by meeting with Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge and Foras na Gaeilge.
The Committee is anxious to ensure that whatever funding process is finally adopted meets the needs of the sector in the most effective and cost efficient manner. However the Committee is concerned at the perceived level of opposition to it from within the sector itself and hopes, through meeting various stakeholders, to be able to contribute to bringing about a solution that is agreeable to all and workable in the long term.
The Office of the Language Commissioner is an independent statutory body which the Government has proposed incorporating into the Office of the Ombudsman. The Committee has already written to Minister Howlin requesting him to comment on this proposal in light of the opinions expressed to the Committee by Conradh na Gaeilge at the Committee's meeting on 8th February 2012. Conradh na Gaeilge expressed serious concerns that the Government proposal is unnecessary, will be ineffective, will have negative results in a number of areas and will actually cost the State money to implement. The Committee is anxious to discuss this matter further with Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge to find out its opinions in this regard and to see if it shares these concerns.”
This meeting will take place on Tuesday, 28th February, in Committee Room 4, Leinster House 2000 at 2.15pm.
Committee proceedings can be followed live at:
http://www.oireachtas.ie/ViewDoc.asp?fn=/documents/livewebcast/Web-Live.htm&CatID=83&m=o
For further information please contact:
Ciaran Brennan,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Communications Unit,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
P: +3531 618 3903
M: 086-0496518
F: +3531 618 4551
Committee Membership
Deputies:
Ciarán Lynch, Labour Party (Chairman)
Noel Coonan, Fine Gael (Vice-Chairman)
James Bannon, Fine Gael
Paudie Coffey, Fine Gael
Terence Flanagan, Fine Gael
Marcella Corcoran Kennedy, Fine Gael
Tony McLoughlin, Fine Gael
Patrick O’Donovan, Fine Gael
Brian Walsh, Fine Gael
Kevin Humphreys, Labour Party
Gerald Nash, Labour Party
Seán Kenny, Labour Party
Robert Troy, Fianna Fáil
Timmy Dooley, Fianna Fáil
Niall Collins, Fianna Fáil
Sandra McLellan, Sinn Féin
Dessie Ellis, Sinn Féin
Brian Stanley, Sinn Féin
Clare Daly, Socialist Party
Catherine Murphy, Independent
Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan, Independent
Senators:
Cáit Keane, Fine Gael
Catherine Noone, Fine Gael
Denis Landy, Labour
Labhrás Ó’Murchú, Fianna Fáil
Ned O’Sullivan, Fianna Fáil
Eamonn Coghlan, Independent