Jim O'Keeffe
Question:6 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht the plans, if any, the Government has to commemorate the centenary of Conradh na Gaeilge.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Conradh na Gaeilge Centenary.
Tá clár cuimsitheach d'imeachtaí éagsúla leagtha amach ag Conradh na Gaeilge chun an céad a cho-móradh agus tá cúnamh ar leith £75,000 curtha ar fáil ag mo Roinnse mar chabhair chun costais na n-imeachtaí sin a ghlanadh.
Anuas ar sin, íocann mo Roinnse deontas bliantúil le Conradh na Gaeilge — £155,000 an tsuim don bhliain reatha. Beidh fhios ag an Teachta, ar ndóigh, go n-eiseofar stampaí poist speisialta i ndáil leis an gcomóradh. Bhain muid féin an-taitneamh as bheith i láthair ag na comór-thaí éagsúla, go háirithe an chéad cheann i gCaiseal.
I thank the Minister for outlining the plans of Conradh na Gaeilge and I am glad support is being given by the Government to enable those plans to be put in place. My question was whether the Government had any plans to commemorate the centenary of Conradh na Gaeilge. The Government should supplement the programme of Conradh na Gaeilge. When I had responsibility for the public service I established "Lá na Gaeilge" for the public service and, perhaps we should have a Seachtain na Gaeilge for the public service, or some such programme to supplement the plans of Conradh na Gaeilge itself. I do think that would be appropriate in this, their centenary year.
I will indeed bear the Deputy's suggestions in mind and the spirit in which they are offered. Ach b'fhéidir go mbeidh seans agam rud níos fiúntaí fós a dhéanamh, is é sin, mar shampla, mo chlár nua maidir le cearta a thabhairt do mhuintir na Gaeltachta agus lucht na Gaeilge atá ag déanamh iarrach-taí a ngnó a dhéanamh leis na heagrais Stáit. Bheadh fiúntas ag baint leis sin, bheadh sé structured agus leanúnach, seachas é bheith ann go ceann cúpla seachtain nó cúpla lá. Ach cuirfidh mé an moladh atá déanta ag an Teachta san áireamh.
While I welcome the Minister's proposals to advance State funding to commemorate the foundation of Conradh na Gaeilge 100 years ago, would he agree that a good focal point for spending some of this money would be Douglas Hyde Commemorative Centre at Frenchpark in County Roscommon? Is it proposed to direct any of those funds to that centre, which could well do with greater endowment and would be the appropriate place to hold certain events, If I may put it that way?
Is é an lá a mbeidh an comóradh ar siúl ná an lá deireanach de mhí Iúil. An eiseodh an tAire ráiteas sollúnta an tseachtain sin nó an lá sin, ag athdhearbhú na gcuspóirí fiúntacha a bhí ag Conradh na Gaeilge nuair a cuireadh ar bun iad. An ndéanfadh an Rialtas nó an tAire athdhearbhú ar na cuspóirí sin agus soiléiriú ar áit na Gaeilge sa saol poiblí agus i saol na tíre seo sa chéad bliain amach romhainn.
Glacaim arís leis an moladh ionraic atá déanta ag an Teachta McGinley. Tá a fhios agam go bhfuil sé lán dáiríre faoi chúrsaí Gaeilge agus ní bheidh aon deacracht mhór ann maidir leis sin mar tá mé féin báúil don mholadh atá déanta agus ceapaim gurb inmholta an smaoineamh é.
An gceapfadh an tAire, gur mhaith an smaoineamh é dul i gcomhairle le Comhchoiste Gaeilge an Oireachtais sa Teach seo chun go bhféadfadh siad rud éigin suntasach a eagrú don Dáil i dtreo is go bhféadfadh Rialtas na linne seo deashampla agus cinnireacht a thabhairt don aos óg, an ghlúin óg atá ag teacht aníos. B'fhéidir go bhféadfaidh an tAire a leith-éid a dhéanamh.
Cuimhneoidh an Teachta gur labhair mé cúpla seachtain ó shin ag cruinniú neamhfhoirmiúil a d'eag-raigh Bord na Gaeilge agus rinne me tagairt don ról atá ag Comhchoiste na Gaeilge sa Teach seo, go raibh sé tábhachtach go mbeadh fiúntas ag baint leis na moltaí agus gan na seanmholtaí bheith á gcur os comhair an chomhchoiste arís. Beidh mé féin sásta aon chabhair is féidir liom a thabhairt ionas go mbeadh an comhchoiste sin ag feidhmiú ar bhonn níos éifeachtaí. Scríobh mé cheana chuig gach Aire agus gach Roinn chun iarracht speisialta a dhéanamh sa bhliain chomórtha seo.
I hesitate to break the apparent consensus there is here but can the Minister indicate to the House why he is giving £65,000 extra to Conradh na Gaeilge?
Seventy-five thousand pounds.
——£75,000. Is it Government policy to fund other organisations in this State, perhaps representing a different cultural tradition in Irish life? In addition, is the policy of this Government the same as that of Conradh na Gaeilge which, as I understand it, is to have Ireland an Irish-speaking country, or whether it is Government policy to have Irish-English, in other words dhátheangachas sa tír seo?
Of course — and it arises on other questions — there is a stated constitutional position for the Irish language. Over the years there have been many articulations of how this was proposed to be effected in policy statements on the restoration of the Irish language. I want to deal very straightforwardly with the Deputy's question. It is now clear that the policy of different Departments has been to achieve dhátheangachas, but if one were to do that one would have to improve the position of Irish as it is spoken. The grant to Conradh na Gaeilge acknowledged that they would have exceptional expenditure in a year in which they would be celebrating 100 years of existence. Their contribution was not just to the language but to the sense of féinmheas that the country had. I might add that that expenditure by Conradh na Gaeilge of £75,000 be widely distributed nationwide and elsewhere, indeed, to the Irish community abroad who are interested in celebrating the fact that the language has survived and needs very much more encouragement.
I take the other point the Deputy made. It is not my intention to suggest that there is a single hegemonic cultural tradition in this country. There are not only different cultural traditions but very many different versions of different cultural traditions. Everything I am doing in the cultural area accepts that, as a road to peace, for example, and very much acknowledges cultural pluralism. But I have responsibility, and will exercise it, in ensuring that the Irish language, which has been made weak, will be able to be made stronger so that we can achieve that richness of culture.
Would the Minister accept that my purpose in tabling the question and that of my colleagues raising supplementaries was to heighten the awareness of the centenary of Conradh na Gaeilge and, second, to support in any way the efforts Government may make — and hopefully the further reference they will make now arising from this question — to help in recognising the centenary of Conradh na Gaeilge and in the promotion of the Irish language? Finally, would the Minister accept, even for those of us who are not very fluent, that there is a responsibility on us all to try and have the cúpla focal here, perhaps the odd question and so on, and that such lead and example might form part of the Government programme within the context of this centenary?
With no disrespect to Deputy O'Keeffe, I may say that, without the inspiration of his question today, I had written to all Departments suggesting that they needed to make a new and special effort in this year to ensure that people who wanted to use the Irish language in dealing with the agencies of the State, locally and centrally, will have their rights respected. I have also suggested that new facilities, techniques and approaches would be made available through Bord na Gaeilge to assist them in achieving this purpose.
In relation to the other question the Deputy raised, it is very important that nobody ever should be dissuaded from using any little amount of Irish they have in this House. I want to assure Deputies that I will welcome questions in Irish and will entirely welcome the efforts of those who are coming into Irish, as it were, who wish to use the very little Irish they have. It will be encouraged by me and my Department.