Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 November 2004
79 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs if he will make it a priority to ask the Irish language forum to report at the earliest possible date with short-term strategic priorities for the preservation and promotion of the Irish language within the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27992/04]
View answer129 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the progress made to date by the Irish language forum; if he has received a report from the forum; the number of meetings held by the forum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27991/04]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 79 and 129 together.
Deputies will be aware that the role of Fóram na Gaeilge is to advise me on the advisability of preparing a 20-year strategic plan with realistic goals for the Irish language in the State; the short-term strategic priorities for the preservation and the promotion of the Irish language within the State; the priorities regarding the implementation of the Official Languages Act; and the best and most practical ways to achieve progress with regard to the implementation of that work. Arising from that, it is hoped that there will be a more integrated approach among the main community and State organisations that promote the Irish language and a greater degree of co-ordination to their work.
There have been two meetings of Fóram na Gaeilge to date. I have asked the members to submit their views on the development of an Irish language plan and related short-term priority issues. There has been a good response to this from the members, and officials of my Department are examining the various submissions. Consideration is also being given to the options for developing a framework, with assistance and advice from the forum, for a broad plan for the Irish language that would include strategic priorities for its preservation and promotion within the State. I anticipate that this work will be brought forward over the coming months.
It makes sense that the first matter Fóram na Gaeilge should address is the short-term strategic measures, rather than a 20-year strategic plan. That is important. To return to the issue of research, we are making assumptions about the Irish language and do not know what people think. The Minister spoke about research being a measure of something on a day, but I am talking about qualitative research which will inform us of people's exact opinions. The research should be widely based so that we can be aware of them. When we do this we will understand better the problem that must be addressed.
We must inculcate in people an attitude of ownership of the language. That is essential. The language does not belong to an elite or to small groups, but to all of us. If we do not engage with the population at large through a countrywide, open and frank debate where if people express a view that does not coincide with——
I remind the Deputy that supplementary questions are limited to one minute.
Is it not logical that Fóram na Gaeilge should focus on the short-term objectives and priorities and get going on those? We are losing the battle and there is no time to be lost.
One minute the Deputy wants me to spend years on research and strategy and——
I did not say that.
——the next minute take the short-term view. What I have been doing over my period as Minister of State and as Minister is developing coherent policies. These have to be implemented piecemeal as the opportunity occurs, but they form part of a coherent approach to the language. One thing we must do, because it has not been done since the early 1920s, if it was ever cogently done, is lay out the State's policy. We are elected and should set out the State's policy towards the Irish language in 2004 and for the future.
Nobody has laid out the policy so it would be beneficial if we, as the elected Government, set out our stall. We could then debate the issue and know what we aim to do and the objective. In the early years of the State, the replacement of English by the Irish language was the stated policy, but that policy has long since disappeared. However, it is fair to say that people have only a vague idea of the State's policy on the Irish language. I do not only mean the policy of the Government but of Governments over the past 30 or 40 years. It is time we stated our policy clearly.
The policy must be set out as a long-term policy. Arising from that policy we should decide our long-term and short-term objectives. From that we can consolidate the short-term steps that must be taken. The Deputy is right that the policy to appoint——
I remind the Minister that his answers are also subject to a one minute time limit.
What is the Minister's view on the preservation of the Irish language with regard to it being a factor in applying for planning permission for once-off housing in the Gaeltacht?
That question will arise later. We cannot deal with it now.
Tá a fhios agam go mbaineann Ceist Uimh. 81 leis an ábhar céanna, ach tá baint ag mo cheist le Ceist Uimh. 79 freisin so I would like to continue. What is the Minister's attitude towards the Irish language being a factor in the allocation of tenancies of local authority houses or affordable housing in Gaeltacht areas?
I will be brief. I support the objective laid out clearly in the law that in drawing up plans, local and regional authorities must seek to preserve the cultural and linguistic heritage of the Gaeltacht. How they do that under the law is a question for them, not for the Minister of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. There seems to be some misunderstanding——
I only asked what was the Minister's attitude.
My attitude is clear, there is an absolute obligation on local authorities to comply with the law, which clearly states the objective of taking language criteria into account in making planning decisions. The law passed by this House is clear and all of us must support the local authority in upholding it.
What is the Minister's opinion of it? Has he an opinion?
I have a clear opinion. The law is clear on the issue.
Cuirfidh mé ceist eile arCheist Uimh. 81.
Thagair an tAire, ina fhreagra roimhe seo, don pholasaí teanga ó bunaíodh an Stát. An aontaíonn an tAire liom gurb é an dúshlán a bhí againn nuair a bunaíodh an Stát an Ghaeilge a thabhairt chun cinn taobh amuigh den Ghaeltacht? Má bhreathnaítear ar rudaí mar atá siad anois, tá ag éirí measartha maith leis an polasaí taobh amuigh den Ghaeltacht. D'fhéadfaí tagairt a dhéanamh do Ghaelscoltacha agus mar sin. Tá an dúshlán tar éis athrú go dtí an Ghaeltacht. Caithfear dul i bhfeidhm ar aos óg na Gaeltachta. An bhféadfadh an tAire a insint don Teach cad iad na pleananna atá ag a Roinn nó ag an Rialtas le dul i bhfeidhm ar aos óg na Gaeltachta leis an teanga atá acu a chaomhnú agus a choinneáil?
Tugaim creidiúnt don dream a bhunaigh an Stát ar an dá thaobh den chlaí polaitíochta. Rinneadar a ndícheall. Aineoinn an rud a deirtear go coitianta, is é mo bharúil agus mé ag breathnú ar na figiúirí, go mbeadh an Ghaeilge básaithe i bhfad ó shin murach na hiarrachtaí a rinne siad. Is iontach an rud le rá go bhfuil i bhfad os cionn milliún duine sa tír a deir go bhfuil Gaeilge acu. Sin suirbhé eolaíochta mar tá an t-eolas sin againn ó na daonáirimh.
Maidir leis an nGaeltacht agus an nGalltacht, mar a tugtaí air — b'fhéidir gur droch théarma é sin — in imeacht ama tá brúnna nach beag ar an nGaeltacht de bharr go bhfuil daoine ag bogadh isteach is amach. Tá daoine ag teacht chun cónaí san nGaeltacht agus daoine ón nGaeltacht á fhágáil. Ceann des na fáthanna go bhfuil an Ghaeilge láidrithe taobh amuigh den nGaeltacht ná go bhfuil daoine ón nGaeltacht bogtha taobh amuigh den nGaeltacht seachas dul ar imirce le blianta beaga. Tá dúshláin dochreidte sa nGaeltacht, agus tá mé ag iarraidh aghaidh a thabhairt orthu. Mar is eol do Theachtaí, tá mé ag breathnú ar leasuithe bunúsacha a chur ar scéim labhairt na Gaeilge. Tá obair nach beag déanta leis na naíonraí agus na cúntóirí teanga. Tá scéim phíolótach do chuairteoirí baile tosaithe anois, agus dírím isteach ar naíonlanna, nó crèches, mar sin an áit is túisce a dtéanns gasúir anois. Tá mé tar éis scéim na gcampaí samhraidh a chur ar aghaidh i mbliana agus airgead a thabhairt d'Údarás na Gaeltachta chun obair a dhéanamh leis na clubanna óige. Tá mé tar éis airgead a thabhairt do dhaoine le tosú i mbun pleanála teanga ar leibhéal an phobail. Tá an tAcht teanga againn.
Tá go leor rudaí ar bun, agus is é ceann de na rudaí a gcaithfimid a fhoghlaim faoi na rudaí seo ná nach bhfeicfear a thoradh sin ach go ceann cúig bliana nó deich mbliana. Mar sin, má tá muid dáiríre faoin gceist seo, caithfimid bheith sásta bheith ann don mbóthar fada. Ró-mhinic i stair an Stáit seo, caitheadh rud i dtraipisí nuair nár éirigh leis míorúilt a dhéanamh thar oíche. Tá súil agam, cibé duine a thiocfas i m'áit nuair a imeos mé, go leanfar le polasaí fadtéarmach agus go dtuigfidh daoine nach mbeidh toradh ar na rudaí atá á gcur in áit agam muna bhfágfar ann iad agus muna dtabharfar seans don phacáiste iomlán ar feadh tamaill mhaith de bhlianta.
The Minister stated that on the one hand I ask him to take long-term measures and, on the other, to take short-term measures. There is nothing essentially wrong with that. Having examined the terms of reference of Fóram na Gaeilge, I see it as more important that the short-term strategic objectives be first set before the Minister and that he implements them. The 20-year strategy is a long-term one. We need action now.
The Minister dealt with the census and mentioned that more than 1 million people speak the Irish language.
They know the Irish language. There are not more than 1 million people who say they speak it. We need to be accurate about that.
We certainly need to be accurate about it.
They claim they know it. Usage is another question.
My point is that the answers to the questions in the census are subjective. How does one measure fluency on the basis of what is said by a fluent speaker and what is said by somebody who speaks very little Irish? There is no way of measuring that, although the Central Statistics Office stands over the validity of its findings. However, each person answers that question according to his or her own standards and criteria. I wish it were so but I do not believe the position is as strong as it seems.
I do not see why the Minister has a problem with what I suggest. Fóram na Gaeilge should report first with the short-term objectives and the Minister should implement them quickly because things are not going well and we need to change that.
Beidh mise i bfhad ní ba ghaire d'anailís an Teachta McGinley. There are very good signs in certain areas and huge threats in other areas. It is not all in one direction. That is one of the complexities of the issue.
There were complaints about committees and studies. I confirm that on language issues there is only one study, namely, the staidéar teangeolaíochta. This is a time for action. The committee is purely advisory and I envisage it being available to advise Ministers in the future. However, it will not constrain me at any time from taking action because the power to take action remains with the Minister. I have consistently taken action. In the past five years there has been a consistent roll-out of action. It is important for the State to define what the objective is and I am surprised that the Deputy is not fully supportive of this. I believe that when he reflects on it he will see the logic of it. The objective is not that of the 1920s and 1930s. My point is that we cannot have even short-term strategies in a coherent framework unless we decide where this nation wants to go regarding the language.
One interesting fact I heard yesterday is that many asylum seekers are particularly interested in our culture. It is important therefore, for people coming into this country as well, that there is a clear statement regarding where the Irish language fits into our future. Time and again I have articulated a bilingual view. No child in this country should be deprived of a full knowledge of the English language, a fantastic world resource. I am also very strongly of the view that it is increasingly possible, particularly with modern technology, that neither should any child in this country be denied an opportunity to be fluent in the Irish language, and that bilingualism is a realistic norm to aim at. It must be stated clearly what it is we are trying to achieve.
