The
Irish language has barely featured
in the 2020 campaign and by the time general election hopefuls have had
the last word on the headline issues, it is unlikely to have received
much consideration outside of Raidió na Gaeltachta and TG4. Conradh na Gaeilge, has taken a more direct approach.
“It is always extremely difficult to break through,” says Julian de Spáinn, general secretary of Conradh na Gaeilge.“That is why we engage in a more direct approach where we engage directly with the candidates themselves.”
Individual candidates as well as political parties were asked to commit to four measures agreed by over 70 Irish language and Gaeltacht groups which, if enacted, they say will go someway towards reversing the decline of Irish.
Commitments
1. The appointment of a senior Government minister with Cabinet responsibility for the Gaeltacht and the Irish language.
2. An investment of € 18 million in an Irish language and Gaeltacht plan to expand the use of Irish
3. A single policy for Irish in the education sphere linking the teaching of Irish throughout all cycles of the education system
4.
Support for the strengthening of the Official Languages Bill and a
commitment to honour the provision that 20 per cent of candidates
recruited to the public sector will be competent in the Irish language.
