Role and responsibilities of Foras Na Gaeilge need to be clearly outlined - Committee on Environment, Transport, Culture and the Gaeltacht report

The roles and responsibilities of Foras na Gaeilge and the core-funded organisations should be clearly outlined, according to the report which sets out three stages for an unambiguous division of responsibilities.

1. The responsibilities, objectives, and desirable results of a particular scheme should be drawn up by Foras na Gaeilge and agreed with the partner organisation.  The outcome of this process should be formalised within a service contract.
2. The partner organisation should be responsible for the implementation of the service contract over a specified period of time.
3. Foras na Gaeilge should oversee the implementation of the service contract.  It should carry out an annual review and a final evaluation of each scheme based on the fulfilment of the responsibilities and objectives of the service contract and an evaluation of results.

In order to maintain the provision of vital services and to support the Irish language community on a continuous basis, core-funding should be provided to the partner organisations, the report said. Schemes should not be subject to competitive tender.

Among the reports other recommendations are:

• In order to cater to the varying requirements of schemes, the length of service contracts should be negotiable between one and five years subject to regular departmental funding constraints.
• In order to protect against the erosion of voluntary participation, a new criterion should be added to the evaluation of schemes: the ability to engage existing voluntary networks and / or encourage more voluntary and community participation.
• In case of poor performance or non-fulfilment of service contract, Foras na Gaeilge should be able to include specific provisions in the subsequent service contract in order to improve the scheme.
• The Joint Committee recommends that, prior to the implementation of the new funding model, a number of steps are taken to ensure the sector is rationalised both effectively and efficiently.  These steps will ensure that the specific requirements of the Irish language sector and the Irish language community are incorporated into the new model.  They will also mitigate some of the risks of restructuring.
• In cooperation with the 19 core-funded organisations, Foras na Gaeilge should carry out an assessment of the organisations to include:-
1. The roles and responsibilities of each organisation;
2. The geographic representation of services;
3. The role of volunteers in the work of each organisation;
4. The corporate governance of each organisation.

• Foras na Gaeilge should draw up a strategic plan, outlining how their funding of Irish language organisations will complement the 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010 – 2030 and the anticipated Irish language strategy in Northern Ireland.  This strategic plan should conform to language planning principles and should take into account the specific needs of the voluntary sector and community-based Irish language policy.
• Based on the assessment of the organisations and the strategic plan of Foras na Gaeilge, Foras na Gaeilge should agree a rationalisation of the sector with the core-funded organisations by the end of December 2012.
• In order to ensure the continuing provision of services to the Irish language community, funding should be provided to the core-funded organisations until the conclusion of the restructuring of the sector.

Committee Cathaoirleach Ciarán Lynch, TD said: “In December 2009 the North/South Ministerial Council directed Foras na Gaeilge to restructure the way in which funding is provided to the core-funded Irish language organisations. In May 2010 Foras na Gaeilge announced its proposed New Funding Model, an ambitious proposal of changes to the Sector. This Model is of considerable significance to the employees of the core-funded organisations, to the voluntary community in the sector, and to the Irish Language community in general. It is also of consequence to the 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010 – 2030. For these reasons, the Joint Committee decided to examine the proposed strategy in detail.

With this objective, we gave Foras na Gaeilge and a number of Irish language organisations an opportunity to advise as to how the Model could be improved. The Joint Committee held two meetings in which we listened to the representations of the organisations and we studied in detail the submissions that were sent to us.

This Report is intended to carry the opinions of those who value our national language and are dedicated to working on its behalf directly to Government. After seeking and scrutinising the input of the Irish Language Sector we are placing our recommendations before the Government. We hope that the Government will consider these recommendations carefully. If implemented, we believe that a more efficient and flexible Irish Sector can be fostered that will ensure the provision of high-standard services for the Irish language community long into the future.”

Read the report here: http://bit.ly/LxdxWE

Access a short video clip of Fiach Mac Conghail discussing report’s recommendations: http://youtu.be/SXEo6jjavbw

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
Labhrás Ó Murchú, Fianna Fáil
Ned O’Sullivan, Fianna Fáil
Fiach Mac Conghail, Independent