Vol. 540 No. 3
1 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage Gaeltacht and the Islands if she has submitted policy proposals for consideration by the Government on policy issues concerning the Irish language; and if in either event, she will inform Dáil Éireann regarding the nature of her proposals and consultations. [20430/01]
The core policy goal of the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands in relation to the Irish language is to reverse the decline in the use of the language as the principal means of communication in the Gaeltacht and to extend its use in the rest of the country. A supporting objective of that policy goal is to encourage the expansion of the use of Irish and the delivery of State services through Irish on a countrywide basis.
As the Deputy will be aware, the Government, on 12 June, approved the general scheme of the official languages equality Bill. The general scheme has been forwarded to the Attorney General's office so that the Bill may be drafted with a view to publication in the autumn. This is a major policy initiative on specifying the language rights of citizens and improving the delivery of State services through Irish to those seeking such a service.
Another significant policy proposal relating to the Irish language which the Government approved resulted in the establishment of An Coimisiún faoin nGaeilge sa Ghaeltacht last year. The commission was established to make recommendations with regard to the strengthening of the Irish language as the everyday language of the people of the Gaeltacht. Its report is expected to be available before the end of the year.
In 1999 the former Minister of State at the Department, Deputy Ó Cuív, established Coiste Comhairleach na nÓg to provide a young person's perspective on the needs of the Gaeltacht. While this initiative did not require Government approval, I consider it worthwhile to refer to it. The committee, which was representative of all Gaeltacht areas, was specifically asked to consider the linguistic needs of the Gaeltacht and how the acquisition of Irish among young people could be improved, Irish language media, education, participation by young people in work and public life, how people can be encouraged to remain in the Gaeltacht and how the State can most effectively assist Irish language organisations. The report of this committee, which was officially launched recently, will be a valuable contribution to the ongoing debate about the future of the Irish language in general and of the Gaeltacht in particular. I shall pay specific attention to the recommendations contained therein as shall, I expect, An Coimisiún faoin nGaeilge sa Ghaeltacht.
Another major policy development in relation to the Irish language which took place during this Government's period of office was the establishment of Foras na Gaeilge, the Irish language agency of the North-South language body. The establishment of this agency opens up new and exciting possibilities for the promotion of Irish on an all-Ireland basis.
This Government's commitment to ongoing and strategic support for the Irish language was demonstrated shortly after coming to office by the establishment, on the initiative of the then Minister of State at the Department, of the interdepartmental committee on the islands, the Gaeltacht and the Irish language. Its terms of reference were to co-ordinate the implementation of Government policy with regard to the offshore islands, the Gaeltacht and the Irish language, to seek to ensure that this policy is implemented in an effective manner and to review the provision of services to offshore islands and Gaeltacht regions by Departments and State agencies and, where duplication occurs, to rationalise these services by consultation and agreement. This committee has and will continue to operate for the benefit of the islands, the Gaeltacht and the Irish language.
I thank the Minister of State for her reply. However, my question was directed at the Minister for Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, Deputy de Valera, who has Cabinet responsibility for the promotion of the language. The Minister of State mentioned the publication of the language Bill, which will clearly not be ready in this session. Will the Minister guarantee that it will come before the House in the next term? The Minister of State also mentioned Foras na Gaeilge, the cross-Border language co-operation body under the Good Friday Agreement. If the Agreement is suspended, as appears very possible, will Foras na Gaeilge continue to operate or will it, too, be suspended?
Coimisiún faoin nGaeilge sa Ghaeltacht has been operating for a year. When will its report be furnished to the Department and the House?
I hope and expect that the language Bill will be ready by the beginning of the next session. As I indicated earlier, I hope to have it published by the autumn. The Minister and myself both anticipate that all sides of the House will facilitate taking this legislation during the next term. The work of Foras na Gaeilge, the North-South language body, will continue as will the implementation of policy. It is for both Governments to decide if the body's work will cease. The Taoiseach has indicated that the North-South bodies will continue their work in the interim until such time as decisions are made. We continue our work as normal despite the current impasse in Northern Ireland.
I had the opportunity to meet with members of the Coimisiún faoin nGaeilge sa Ghaeltacht recently. They are now drafting their report and pulling together the responses they have received. I anticipate receiving the report before Christmas.
