Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 February 2019
277. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the role of her Department in supporting an Gaeilge; and her plans to celebrate Seachtain na Gaeilge in March 2019. [8764/19]
View answerThe 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030 (the Strategy), which represents the cornerstone of the Government’s policy on the Irish language, was published in December 2010, following cross-party support in the Houses of the Oireachtas.
The Strategy contains a range of recommendations across nine areas, namely Education; The Gaeltacht; Family Transmission of the Language - Early Intervention; Administration, Services and Community; Media and Technology; Dictionaries; Legislation and Status; Economic Life; and Cross-cutting Initiatives.
The Strategy has cross-departmental ownership and, accordingly, responsibility for its implementation falls on a number of Government Departments, bodies and Irish language and Gaeltacht organisations.
The Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (DCHG) has overall responsibility for coordinating the implementation of the Strategy.
As a result of a consultation process organised by the Department on the matter, the need for a 5-Year Action Plan was identified. Subsequently, in June 2018, my Department published the 5-Year Action Plan 2018-2022 which contains specified strategic priorities for the next five years, along with a timeline for their implementation. The focus of the Plan is on the measures to be implemented in the period to 2022 to further support the Irish language and the Gaeltacht in the overall context of the nine areas for action as set out in the 20 Year Strategy for the Irish language.
The Plan outlines over 180 specific measures that will be implemented in conjunction with approximately 60 stakeholders on a cross-Departmental basis in support of the Irish language and the Gaeltacht from now until 2022. The Plan also outlines a revised approach to monitoring progress in order to provide for greater accountability.
Even at this early stage, I am satisfied that significant progress has been made already in relation to implementing the plan.
I should also add that my Department provides significant co-funding to Foras na Gaeilge to carry out its statutory mandate to promote the Irish language on an all-island basis. In 2018 total funding of €12.6m was provided to Foras na Gaeilge from my Department, including provision for Bliain na Gaeilge 2018. This funding, along with funding from the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland, enables Foras na Gaeilge to provide support, advice and financial assistance to many groups and the six lead organisations, who are working to promote the Irish language in the community, including Conradh na Gaeilge who has responsibility, inter alia, for Seachtain na Gaeilge.
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that Seachtain na Gaeilge will take place from 1- 17 March in 2019 from within co-funding provided to Foras na Gaeilge and it is expected that Conradh na Gaeilge will organise another excellent Irish language festival this year. Further details are available at https://snag.ie/.
