One item arises under the heading of any other business. I call Senator Doherty.
Business of Joint Committee.
It would be proper to discuss the difficulties encountered by the Irish language daily newspaper, Lá Nua, which has placed its ten employees on protective notice. Its last edition will be printed on 29 February. It applied to Foras na Gaeilge for additional funding. I ask that we discuss the matter.
Lá Nua which has been in print for years is a daily Irish language newspaper for the Irish-speaking community. Some 4,100 copies are sold per day and there is also an Internet site, www.nuacht.com, which receives 1,000 hits per day. One problem faced by the newspaper is that it is losing money in the region of €3,000 per week. It has asked Foras na Gaeilge which provides funding to allow it to have an Internet-only service but Foras na Gaeilge has ruled this out. The publisher has also asked for additional money in order that it can see out its contract between now and the end of the year. Foras na Gaeilge has yet to decide on this application.
The newspaper has placed its ten employees on protective notice. Three are from my area in County Donegal and one works from County Cork. Not only is this an issue for the employees, it is also a question of the Irish language service. Governments have tried and failed to set up an Irish language daily newspaper. We, therefore, need to support the one in existence.
I propose that the committee agree a motion asking all Departments to advertise in Lá Nua, as they do in the English language media, and in Foinse, the weekly Irish newspaper. I am not suggesting a dig-out for Lá Nua but rather the creation of an even playing field. If Lá Nua benefited from departmental advertising, its staff would be able to continue to provide their service.
I concur with the Senator. It would be a pity not to have a daily newspaper in the Irish language. I agree that Foras na Gaeilge should make a decision on the funding of Lá Nua.
In the light of the current dispute in County Cork regarding the county board, has there been any update on when we intend to invite Cumann Lúthchleas Gael or the Gaelic Players Association to discuss the future direction of Cumann Lúthchleas Gael and playing policy? Is there any update on when the Government's grant scheme for players will come into effect?
As I understand it, we are awaiting an agreed date.
I fully support the comments on Lá Nua. I received a heartfelt telephone call from one contributor to the newspaper in recent days and it brings tears to one’s eyes to realise that a relatively small sum is not available to keep the newspaper in existence. It is important because it is the only daily Irish language newspaper. To remove it from the equation is a step back for the Irish language, bearing in mind that we have made such progress in recent times. We have accorded it the status of an official EU language; there is new legislation on equality with other languages, while gaelscoileanna are flourishing all over the country. The latest census statistics remind us that 60% to 65% of people have a knowledge of Irish. This is phenomenal news. Therefore, to allow the newspaper to go out of print for the sake of a small sum is unfortunate.
I would not support the idea of having the newspaper available solely on the Internet. It needs to be seen on the news stand also. If one wants to keep up to date with Irish language terminology, one must subscribe to a newspaper. Lá Nua does a magnificent job in providing us with the terminology on a daily basis. If Foras na Gaeilge can come on board, I suggest gaelscoileanna become involved and place the newspaper in their libraries to make it available to the young.
I fully support the views of Senators Doherty and Buttimer and would like us to adopt an all-party approach. The language is above party politics. We have an opportunity to demonstrate that is the case.
I am glad this issue has been raised and suggest it be placed on the agenda for our next meeting.
Tá teorann ama le seo mar tá an páipéar le druid ar an 29ú Feabhra. Má fhanann muid go dtí an chéad cruinniú eile, ní bheidh an deis againn, b'fhéidir, an rún a ghlacadh agus ní bheidh muid ábalta fáil amach an bhfuil Rannóg Rialtais sásta fógraíocht a chur sa pháipéar. It is, therefore, important to agree a motion today. The decision to grant additional funding to the newspaper is for Foras na Gaeilge to make and its board members need to make it. We cannot voice our opinion on it. I am asking the committee to recommend that all Departments place advertisements in Lá Nua where applicable. The Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs already does so as a matter of course, while another Department has decided to do so this week, which is very welcome. However, if all Departments were doing this as a matter of course, where applicable, the newspaper would not be experiencing its current difficulties and the service to the Irish-speaking community would not be threatened. I ask that this proposal be distributed to all Departments.
If there is a procedural difficulty with a motion, would it be possible to send a memo from this meeting to all Departments and Foras na Gaeilge to indicate the views expressed by members? There may be a procedural difficulty with the motion.
The matter has been raised at the end of a meeting and was not on the agenda. I have the greatest sympathy for the members and suggest we have an agreed motion at our next meeting, during the debate on which we can tease out the matter further.
Accepting what the Chairman and Senator Doherty stated, given that time is not on the side of the newspaper and considering the consensus among members, can we solve the problem by having the committee write to Departments to ask them to advertise in the newspaper? The committee could also to communicate with Foras na Gaeilge.
I would prefer if the matter were not raised in the form of a motion. It would not be in order to do so, given the number of members absent.
County councils spend a lot of money advertising roads projects and various events in their jurisdictions. We should, therefore, write to them also. They are obliged to spend money on advertising as part of their requirements to engage in public consultation. They could facilitate the newspaper by placing some advertisements therein, where appropriate.
There is consensus and I do not know of anybody who would disagree with Senator Doherty's proposal. However, the best procedure is to place the item on the agenda for our next meeting on 27 February.
With the agreement of the parties, I ask that we meet as soon as possible and agree an all-party motion that can included in the agenda and which would be circulated to Departments in advance of the meeting on 29 February. Goodwill on the part of Departments can sort out this problem without any formal agreement of motions.
We will get the Whips to agree a motion as soon as possible before the end of this week and it will be circulated.
I support any measure that will assist Lá Nua. The newspaper has a staff who will be out of a job if the newspaper ceases publication. It serves a useful purpose and is a cross-Border publication. It would be positive if we could use our influence to ensure it continued in its present format. I will fully support whatever the committee agrees.
We have agreed that the Whips will meet as soon as possible to agree a motion which will be placed on the agenda for the next meeting.
The agreed motion will be distributed to the Departments involved in advance of the next meeting.
The joint committee adjourned at 6 p.m. until 4.15 p.m. on Wednesday, 27 February 2008.