Sul a scoramar an óiche faoi dheireadh bhí cúpla sampla tugtha agam den mhoill mhór, narbh inleithscéil dar liom, a bhain le freagraí a fháil ón Roinn Oideachais ar mholtaí an bhoird. Ní ró-shásta i gcoitinne a bhí an bord leis an gcaoi ar chaith an Roinn Oideachais leofa. Ach is chun cothrom na Féinne a fháil don bhord agus ní amháin chun an neamhshuim seo a chasadh leis an Roinn Oideachais adeirim an méid sin. Ba mhinic an bord sáinithe idir an dá thine Bealtaine, iad féin ag iarraidh rudaí áirithe a áitiú ar an Rialtas agus ag coinneáil srian lena mífhoighid an uair nach raibh a mhacsamhail de smacht ar lucht a gcáinte—clocha ceangailte agus madaí scaoilte, mar adeir an seanfhocal.
Chun cothrom na Féinne a thabhairt don Roinn Oideachais féin, ba mhaith liom a rá go bhfuair mé dea-scéal ar na mallaibh ón Aire Oideachais, scéal a chuir lúcháir orm. Is fada a bhí an bord ag iarraidh go mbúnófai comhchoiste a mbéadh ionadaithe sinnsearacha ón bhord agus ón Roinn air le comhoibriú a chinntiú agus a bhrostú. Anois tá an comhchoiste sin ar tí a bhunaithe. Más maith is mithid. Acht molaim an tAire Oideachais dá bharr.
An Tuarascáil sin faoi Dhearcadh an Phobail i leith na Gaeilge, leag sí an mhéar ar roinnt de na laigí is mó a bhaineas le staid na Gaeilge sa chóras oideachais, laigí atá an-chontúirteach don teanga agus a d'féadfadh a bheith marfach.
Ar na rudaí a luadh bhí (1) an tuitim thubaisteach i líon na ndaltaí a dhéanann freastal ar scoileanna lánGhaelacha nó dhátheangacha; (2) an tuitim i gcaighdeán cumais sa Ghaeilge i measc múinteoirí Gaeilge; (3) an géarghá le cumas labhartha sa Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn; (4) an géar-ghá le húsáid na Gaeilge sna scoileanna a fhorbairt lasmuigh de na ranganna; agus (5) modhanna spreagtha ar mhaithe le múineadh na Gaeilge a chur ar fáil.
Ní liosta iomlán é sin, ar ndóigh, ach is ag dul in olcas atá an scéal de réir chosúlachta. In alt leis in eagrán Earrach na bliana seo de "Teangeolas" scríobh Stiúrthóir na hInstitiúide Teangeolaíochta, Tomás Ó Domhnalláin, an méid seo faoin "Ghaeilge san Oideachas": gurab eagal leis nach ábhar dóchais ach a mhalairt a bhí le nochtú aige, nach fás ach meath atá léirithe san eolas is déanaí atá ar fáil. Deir sé gur léir gur tháinig laghdú mór ar úsáid na Gaeilge sa chóras oideachais ó thús na seachtóidí agus gur laghdú leanúnach nó carnach atá ann. Deir sé: "Na micléinn a fhoghlaimíonn tríd an nGaeilge ar scoil is iad sin na daoine fásta is fearr a mbíonn an Ghaeilge acu ar ball; b'iad freisin bo mhó a sholáthríodh múinteoirí náisiúnta agus múinteoirí Gaeilge le haghaidh scoileanna iar-bhunoideachas..." Lena chois sin, má leanann na laghdaithe atá le tabhairt faoi deara ar líon na ndaltaí a thugann faoin Gaeilge nó a ghlacann leagan Gaeilge de pháipéir in ábhair eile san meanteistiméireacht agus san árdteistiméireacht, 'sé barúil an Stiúrthóra gur laghdú a bhéas ag teacht feasta ar an gcéatadán de phobal na hÉireann, 30 faoin gcéad de réir an daonáirimh is deireannaí, a bhfuil cumas éigin sa Ghaeilge acu.
Thagair an Seanadóir Séamus de Brún don mhéad atá tagtha le goirid i lion na ndaltaí a dteipeann ortha i nGaeilge sna scrúdaithe sin, fiú nuair a thugann siad faoin phaipéar Gaeilge.
Creidim gur leor a bhfuil luaite agam chun béim a chur ar na gá atá le comhoibriú cumasach, leanúnach idir Bhord na Gaeilge agus an Roinn Oideachais. Aithním an brú atá ar an Roinn Oideachas le blianta. Aithním gur féidir nach raibh ar a n-acmhainn riar mar ba mhian leo ar chúrsaí Gaeilge. Ach dá leanfadh an scéal mar sin ní bheadh Bord na Gaeilge ach ar leath-chois cheal tacaíocht íomlán na Roinne is mó d'féadfadh cabhrú le cumas sa Ghaeilge a bhunú agus a leathnú. Is mór agam, da bhrí sin, an cinneadh atá déanta le goirid ag an Aire Oideachais coiste Gaeilge a bhunú sa Roinn sin chun cúram speisialta a dhéanamh don Ghaeilge sa chóras oideachais. Mar fheictear domhsa é, nuair a cuireadh deireadh leis an éigeantas roinnt blianta o shin, fágadh nach raibh aon pholasaí dearbhtha ina áit agus beidh ar an gcoiste seo an bhearna sin a líonadh.
'Sé fograíodh an chéad lá faoi Bhord na Gaeilge gur "executive agency" a bheadh ann—an chéad áisínteacht Stáit ariamh a bunaíodh d'aonturas chun leas na Gaeilge a dhéanamh. Ach ní fíor ar fad an teideal sin. Tá réimsí ann, ar ndóigh, ina dtig leis an mbord a bheartais féin a chur i gcrích ach tá réimsí móra tábhachtacha ann, fearacht cúrsaí oideachais, nach dtig leis an mbord ach iarracht a dhéanamh ar dhul i gcion ar ná húdaráis a bhfuil na cúramaí seo orthu go bunúsach. Mura bhfaghann an bord lán-chomhar agus cuidiú uathusan tá thiar ar an gcuid sin dá n-iarrachtaí.
Cuid de Chomhaltaí na Dála, mheas siad go mba cheart go mbeadh smacht éigin ag Bord na Gaeilge ar Ranna Stáit, go háirithe ar an Roinn Oideachais, ó thaobh na Gaeilge dhe. Ní réitím féin leis an tuairim sin. Caithfidh gach Aire a bheith freagrach as gach gné de pholasaí a Roinne féin. Ach más mar sin atá, is móide dá bharr an gá atá le comhoibriú fial leanúnach idir Bhord na Gaeilge agus na Ranna Stáit uilig. Is ar an ábhar sin, agus ar iarratas speisialta an bhoird, faoi mar d'admhaigh an tAire féin, atá an t-alt sa Bhille seo a dhearbhaíos nach ar an mbord amháin atá cúram na Gaeilge ach go leanfaidh an cúram sin do na lán údarás eile, idir Ranna Stáit, boird Stáit agus Radio Telefís Éireann, mar shampla. Níl aon mhaolú ar a ndualgaisí siúd i leith na Gaeilge.
Molaim an laghdú atáthar a dhéanamh ar líon an bhoird ach bhí mé ag dréim le go dtabharfaí údarás don bhord nua sa Bhille seo coistí comhairleacha a bhunú ionas go bhféadaidís teacht ar chomhairle ó shaineolaithe agus ó dhaoine eile a mbeadh taithí nó suim ar leith acu i ngnéithe áirithe a bhaineas le forbairt na Gaeilge. B'fhéidir go bhfuil sé le tuiscint go bhfuil an chumhacht seo ag an mBord ach b'fhearr liom féin go n-abrófaí amach go soiléir é, faoi mar a dhéantar i nAchtanna eile.
Níl aon amhras orm ná go bhfuil an tAire Oideachais agus, ar ndóigh, Aire na Gaeltachta agus an Rialtas tré chéile, an-bháiúil leis an nGaeilge agus gur mhaith leo leas na Gaeilge a dhéanamh, ach ní ceart a bheith ag brath ar fad ar an deá-thoil. Tá sé an-tábhachtach go ndéanfaí socraithe deimhne ar nós an chomhchoiste sin idir Bhord na Gaeilge agus an Roinn Oideachais a luaigh mé cheana.
Mura ndéanfaí sin is baol go ndéanfaí neamart san obair ar fad. Mar sin, agraim an Rialtas féachaint chuige go mbeidh iomlán chumas agus díogras na Ranna Stáit uilig taobh thiar den Ghaeilge is go dtabharfaidh siad lántacaíocht do Bhord na Gaeilge. Mura ndéantar é seo tá mé cinnte nach mbeidh rath ar shaothar Bhord na Gaeilge, agus rud i bhfad níos measa is níos truamhéalaí fós, nach mbeidh slánú i ndán don Ghaeilge.
Thagair mé, nuair a labhair mé an chéad uair, do na deacrachtaí a bhain le earcú foirne faoi rialacha Choimisinéirí na Státseirbhíse. Ba ghnáthach go dtógfadh sé beagnach bliain orainn duine foirne a fháil agus mar bharr ar an mi-ádh ní túisce a bheadh an duine sin fostaithe ná bhíodh orainn dúl i mbun na n-oibre arís siocair duine eile a bheith ag imeacht uainn—ag casadh ar a sheanphost nó ag dul ar aghaidh go dtí post eile i ngeall ar é bheith mí-shásta nó faiteach faoi stadas nó faoi chumas gníomha an bhoird. Is maith an rud é go gcuirtear deireadh leis an éigcinnteacht maidir le stadas agus cuspóir an bhoird sa Bhille seo, agus go scaoiltear saor ó laincisí Choimisinéirí na Státseirbhíse é. Is mór an dul chun cinn é seo agus is ceart a bheith an-bhuíoch dá bharr.
Os ag trácht ar chúrsaí foirne mé, ba mhaith liom a rá go bhfuil an bord a bhí ann go dtí seo, agus pobal na hÉireann i gcoitinne, d'fhéadfainn a rá, faoi chomaoin mhór ag Seán de Fréine, a bhí mar phríomhoifigeach againn ó thús, agus ag a lucht tacaíochta, as ucht ar chaith siad de dhíogras le gnaithí an Bhoird, d'ainneoin na ndeacrachtaí uilig a bhain dúinn. Má tá bláth ag teacht anois ar réamhobair an Bhoird, is dóibh siúd is mó atá an chreidiúint ag dul. Agus os ag trácht ar dhaoine mé b'olo an mhaise dhom gan comhaltaí an bhoird a mholadh as a ndearna siad go fonnmhar, gan chúiteamh, chun an bhunchloch a leagan agus structúr fónta a thógáil.
Ní hé amháin go bhfuil an bhunchloch leagtha anois ach, mar is léir ón chlár a foilsíodh i Mí Feabhra, tá tionscnaimh fhónta faoi lán tseol d'fhonn feabhas a chur ar chumas sa Ghaeilge i measc daoine fásta agus pásti miona, d'fhonn úsáid na Gaeilge i bpobail éagsúla a leathnú, agus d'fhonn tuiscint an phobail i gcoitinne do thábhacht na Gaeilge agus méid a meas uirthí a neartú. Tá an síol curtha ag an chéad Bhord neamhreachtúil. Sé an Bord nua reachtúil a bhainfeas an barr, agus tá súil agam barr torrthúil, trom a bhéas ann.
As our objective is a bilingual society it would be wrong, in my view, to have the whole of this debate in Irish as if it were a matter only for those already competent or interested in the language. 'Sé pobal na hÉireann ar fad, agus ní pobal na Gaeilge amháin, pobal Bhord na Gaeilge. I do not wish to repeat what I have said in Irish about problems which have beset the board so far but for which this Bill now provides a welcome remedy. I hope in particular that from now on the board will be assured of the full co-operation of the Department of Education and other bodies with major responsibilities for the advancement of the Irish language. Thinking in particular of that 70 per cent of the population who do not claim any competence in Irish I should like to put in a few words why the efforts of Bord na Gaeilge deserve the full and active support not just of Departments and RTE and other official bodies but of every Irish man, woman and child.
The board, like Comhairle na Gaeilge before them, have given much thought to the philosophy which should underline their approach to the public. It is recognised that in Ireland there is a very special linguistic problem. In other countries the active study of two or three languages may be needed to ensure full national communicability and solidarity, or to promote trade, tourism and converse with one's neighbours, or to give access to educational and literary advantages. The case for bilingualism in Ireland, however, does not rest on any practical necessity. Ninety-eight per cent of the population speak English as their mother tongue and the remainder speak English as a second language. So the Irish people already have a high proficiency in a world language, and there is no necessity for purposes of communication or wider access to learning to provide a lingua franca, or to promote bilingualism.
The case for bilingualism here rests rather an a recognition that the Irish language is a most precious heritage, the thing that most signifies and maintains our continuity as a distinctive people, the key to a treasure-house of poetry and prose epics, folklore and song, which has expressed the imagination and feeling, the wisdom and humour, all the varied responses of generations of Irish people to life and its vicissitudes from the early centuries down, indeed, to our own day. If Ireland is to become bilingual it will be through the influence of love and esteem for Irish rather than through any linguistic or economic necessity.
Our interaction with other influences, especially the English language, has also enriched us, but English does not carry all our traditions, all the emotions and aspirations we have experienced as a people. The roots of Irish go deeper in our history and culture. Putting it negatively for a moment, if as a result of indifference, the Irish language were allowed to die, the loss would be irreparable. We would have lost one of the most important elements of our identity. We would have cut ourselves off from an invaluable heritage and made ourselves even more vulnerable than we are already to absorption in an amorphous, Anglo-American culture. This, if rarely articulated, is the instinct we have about Irish. It is this that leads the majority of the population, including many with very limited knowledge of and competence in Irish, to support a policy of ensuring the future of the language. It is this sentiment that Bord na Gaeilge need to sharpen and strengthen into a will to act, to channel it into practical expression to an ever-increasing extent. The foundations have been laid and the programme announced by the board for 1978 shows the variety of well-considered means by which the board, with the help of continuing research, will be trying to promote competence in and use of the Irish language and also understanding of its value and importance to us as a community.
Whatever degree of appreciation and love may be generated in the public at large, a policy of bilingualism would, I fear, be doomed to sterility if the living source of the language, the Gaeltacht, were to contract further and continue to weaken. The last few generations have seen the everyday use of Irish ebb so fast that there now remain only scattered pools of varying size, mainly along the western seaboard. The smaller Gaeltacht communities are particularly vulnerable to extinction.
The Tánaiste, Seoirse Ó Colla, did much to help sustain the Gaeltacht and its morale when he set up Radio na Gaeltachta, which has since had a rather chequered career, but the need for a whole range of supportive measures and for the development of local self-reliance and initiative remains vital. The life-line of continuity with the past has worn dangerously thin. I suppose that, in my own life-time, the genuine Gaeltacht has shrunk by 60 per cent. I have had the sad experience of visiting and talking to the last native Irish-speakers in Omeath and on the edge of the Burren, and I am familiar, as the Minister is, with areas in north-west Mayo where the only fluent speakers of Irish left are people of our own age or older. What a tragedy it would be to see presented on our television screens the last native Irish-speaker from Carna or Ranafast.
Bord na Gaeilge have a most difficult but also a most important task—the task of keeping Irish alive and ensuring that it will be a strong and active element in a bilingual situation. I must confess I would not have thought it necessary to propose the addition of the words in the Bill "gnáthmheán cumarsáide". There is a lot to be done on the way towards any such objective. The board need and deserve as much freedom and flexibility and as relatively generous access to resources as are conceded to any of our State bodies. I have pressed for this as chairman of the board. I am glad to recognise the greatly increased provision which the Minister was able to make this year and the general improvements made in this Bill. As regards resources, I should like to urge strongly that these be enlarged soon to enable the board to finance a well thought-out professional publicity programme aimed at promoting understanding throughout the community of the importance of the Irish language and at having it more widely spoken. This is no less necessary in relation to Irish than in relation to health, road safety and similar matters.
Ag casadh ar an nGaeilge dom, agus mar fhocal scoir, ba mhaith liom a mheabhrú arís gurab é cuspóir Bhord na Gaeilge pobal na hÉireann uilig a spreagadh chun comhoibriú dá ndeoin agus dá dtoil féin chun an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn mar theanga bheo. Ar eagla go gceapfaí go raibh cuid dá ndúírt mé pas beag gruama, ní miste dhom a bhfuil d'ábhar dóchais againn a lua sul a scoraim.
Tá cumas leathan Gaeilge ann nach bhfuil feidhm á bhaint as. Tá lucht labhartha na Gaeilge le fáil i ngach réim de shaol na tíre. Tá cumas léimh sa Ghaeilge níos leithne ná mar a bhí sé riamh roimhe. Tá forbairt agus caighdeánú déanta ar an teanga. Tá litríocht bheo dá cumadh sa Ghaeilge. Tá lucht éisteachta agus féachana, nach beag, do chláracha i nGaeilge ar an raidio agus ar an teilifís. Tá modhanna múinte teanga ar fáil anois atá níos tarrantaí agus níos éifeachtaí ná mar a bhíodh. Tá tuiscint níos fearr ar fhadhbanna teanga, a bhuíochas sin don Tuarascáil ar Dhearcadh an Phobail. Tá báídh mhórchuid an phobail leis an nGaeilge. 'Sé tá le déanamh againn féachaint chuige go mbainfear leas as na buntáistí seo agus nach gceilfear cabhair nó airgead nó achmhainn gníomha ar Bhord na Gaeilge san saothar neamhghnáthach ach fíor-thábhachtach a dhaingnítear orthu sa Bhille seo.