Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 February 2019
201. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the progress made on implementing all aspects of the 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010 to 2030 that are relevant to his Department and bodies under his remit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8615/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030 was published on 21 December 2010. To support the 20-year Irish Language Strategy, the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht has published a 5-year Action Plan (2018-2022). As part of this Action Plan, DCHG engages directly with broadcasters.My Department has adhered to its commitments under objectives 1 and 9 in accordance with the Broadcasting Act 2009 to ensure high quality broadcast services through the medium of Irish especially through the continuous development of RTÉ, Raidió na Gaeltachta and TG4. Some of the specific measures taken include:
- the allocation of licence fee money to the Broadcasting Funding Scheme, of which TG4 is one of the main beneficiaries, was increased from 5% to 7%.
- The Good Friday Agreement provided that the British Government would work with the relevant British and Irish broadcasting authorities to make TG4 more widely available in Northern Ireland. Following the switchover to digital television in 2012, TG4’s coverage has reached 94% in Northern Ireland. Raidió na Gaeltachta is also being provided on the Northern Ireland Freeview DTT network.
- Providing exchequer funding to TG4 to enable the Irish language broadcaster deliver on their statutory remit. RTE and TG4 have delivered a wide range of commitments over the course of the Strategy to date and have engaged directly with the Department of Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht in identifying further actions to be taken in the Action Plan 2018-2022 published by the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in June last year. RTÉ launched its 5 year Irish language action plan in 2015. The plan aims to integrate Irish into everything that RTÉ does. RTÉ news website and News Now app now feature national, international and regional news in Irish and the broadcaster launched the Irish Language Radio app. TG4 launched an upgraded/redesigned TG4 Website with major new features for national and global users. This ensures access to Irish language programming to a worldwide audience via multiple devices. In addition to ensuring high quality broadcast services through the medium of Irish, my Department remains committed to ensuring the Official Languages Act is fully implemented in the work that we do, and that appropriate arrangements are put in place to ensure the public’s right to use Irish in dealings with the State is met. To this end, my Department has taken the following steps:
- The Department developed and published its Workforce Plan 2017-2019 in April 2017 which included the identification of requirements for Irish language proficiency in business areas across the Department.
- In 2018, the Department's Language Scheme 2018-2021 was developed, approved and published.
- Under this scheme, in addition to fulfilling all mandatory obligations under the Official Languages Act, the Department has also committed to publishing corporate publications and major policy statements or reviews in both official languages, as well as guidelines, information leaflets and application forms for individual schemes and programmes.
- Our Learning and Development team ensure access to advanced and intermediate Irish classes for staff members is available. Gaelchultúr, the educational company providing these courses, is a FETAC-accredited body.- The Department also supports employees who wish to further their professional development through our “Education Support Scheme”- In addition to these measures, through the workforce planning process, the HR Business Partners engage with divisions to identify Irish language requirements and any potential for further designated Irish language roles.
