Joint Initiative
Irish-language and Gaeltacht groups agreed an investment plan for the language in 2016.
In total, 88 groups have now pledged their support for the plan and we have released an updated version this year.
These groups include community and all-Ireland organisations as well as their funding authorities. This is the first joint initiative of its kind between these groups.
As part of the #Gaelvóta campaign, we also agreed on representative measures to ensure that the investment plan would be acted upon and that the Irish-language and Gaeltacht community would be properly represented at Government level.
Both the representative measures and the investment plan are the Irish-Language and Gaeltacht Commitments.
Main Aims
This plan aims:
- To create over 1,150 jobs
- To provide more opportunities for the general public to use Irish
- To establish Irish-language family support centres
- To build Irish-language centres across the country
- To employ Irish-Language Officers through the Scéim Pobal Gaeilge scheme
- To create a programme of activities to support and foster the use and learning of the language
- To provide Gaeltacht scholarships for disadvantaged children and families
Reversal & Re-Investment
We want the devasting cuts to the Irish-language sector reversed first and foremost. Secondly, the level of investment we are looking for to implement this plan is less than the funding received 2008.
In fact, the additional funding needed for the investment plan is €5 million less than the entire funding made available for the Irish language and the Gaeltacht in 2008.
Foras na Gaeilge and Údarás na Gaeltacht have had their scope of responsibilities extended in recent years. New government legislation and policies have had huge implications on the resources of both the Foras and the Údarás alike. They were given additional responsibilities to protect and promote the Irish language and the Gaeltacht at a time when their budgets were substantially reduced.
Irish-language and Gaeltacht authorities had their budgets more than halved from €45 million in 2008 to €22 million in 2015, for example.
It is high time the governments reverse these devasting cuts and invest what is due and what is right in the Irish language and in the Gaeltacht, starting by fully funding the investment plan.
Cross-Party Political Support
The majority of TDs in the south and MLAs in the north support the investment plan:
- 84 TDs elected in general election in the south in March 2016 officially pledged their support for the investment plan and for the representative measures of the #Gaelvóta campaign.
- This equates to over 53% of the new Dáil.
- 50 of 90 Members of the Legislative Assembly support Irish-language rights and services.
- A majority parties in the Assembly – 7 parties in total – also specifically support protective legislation for the Irish language in the north.
Cross-Community Support
The following are the 88 community groups supporting the Irish-language and Gaeltacht investment plan:
1. An Clár as Gaeilge Teo
2. An Droichead Teo
3. An Foras Pátrúnachta
4. Aontas na Mac Léinn in Éirinn
5. Áras na nGael
6. Cairde Teo
7. Cairde Uí Néill
8. Céim Aniar
9. Coiste Culturtha & Teanga Tuar Mhic Eadaigh
10. Coiste Dúiche Mhaigh Eo, Conradh na Gaeilge
11. Coiste Forbartha Charn Tóchair
12. Coiste Pobail Ghort a’ Choirce
13. Coláiste na bhFiann
14. Coláiste na nGael
15. Comhairle Ceantair na nOileán Teo
16. Comhaltas Uladh
17. Comhar Chaomhan Teo Inis Oírr
18. Comhar Chuigeil Teo
19. Comhar Dún Chaocháin Teo
20. Comharchumann Chléire Teo
21. Comharchumann Dhúiche Sheoighe
22. Comharchumann Forbartha Árann
23. Comharchumann Forbartha Chorca Dhuibhne
24. Comharchumann Forbartha Ghaoth Dobhair
25. Comharchumann Forbartha Mhuscraí Teo
26. Comharchumann Forbartha Shailearna
27. Comharchumann Mhic Dara Teo
28. Comharchumann na nOileán Bheag Teo
29. Comharchumann Oileáin Árainn Mhóir
30. Comharchumann Oileán Thoraí
31. Comharchumann Rath Chairn
32. Comharchumann Sliogéisc Chonamara Teo
33. Comhchoiste Gaeltachta Chiarraí Theas
34. Comhlachas na gComharchumann Gaeltachta
35. Comhlacht Forbartha Áitiúil Acla
36. Comhlacht Forbartha an Spidéal Teo
37. Comhlacht Forbartha Inis Meáin
38. Comhlacht Forbartha na Déise Teo
39. CONCOS
40. Conradh na Gaeilge
41. Conradh na Gaeilge, Boirche Íochtar
42. Conradh na Gaeilge, Craobh an Aonaigh
43. Croí Éanna
44. Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich
45. Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin
46. Cumann Cultúrtha Mhic Reachtain
47. Cumann Gaelach Leath Chathail
48. Cumann Gaelach na hEaglaise
49. Cumann na bhFiann
50. Fóram na nÓg
51. Forbairt Chonamara Láir
52. Forbairt Mhaigh Cuilinn Teo
53. Forbairt na Dromada
54. Gaeil na Gaillimhe
55. Gaeilge Locha Riach
56. Gaelfhorbairt na Gaillimhe
57. Gael-Linn
58. Gaelphobal Cheantar an tSratha Báin
59. Gaelscoileanna
60. Gael-Taca
61. Gaillimh le Gaeilge
62. Glór an Ghleanna
63. Glór an Tuaiscirt
64. Glór Cheatharlach
65. Glór Dhún Geimhin
66. Glór Léim an Mhadaidh
67. Glór na Móna
68. Glór na nGael
69. Glór na nGael, Uachtar Tíre
70. Glór na Speiríní
71. Gnó Mhaigh Eo
72. Ionad Deirbhle
73. Ionad na Fuiseoige
74. Ionad Naomh Phádraig
75. Ionad Uíbh Eachach
76. Lárchomhairle Paróiste Ghleann Cholm Cille
77. Misean Oirthear Bhéal Feirste
78. Misneach
79. Muineachán le Gaeilge
80. Muintir Chrónáin Teo
81. Na Comhluadair Bheo
82. Ógras
83. Oideas Gael
84. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne
85. Oireachtas na Gaeilge
86. Pobal ar a’n Iúl - Craobh na hÓmaí
87. Pobal Eascarrach Teo
88. Tuismitheoirí na Gaeltachta
10 Reasons to Support the Irish-Language & Gaeltacht Investment Plan:
- Majority of Irish people strongly support Irish language.*
- Census figures show two million people on the island of Ireland have some level of Irish.**
- Survey shows majority of public agree more funding should be provided.***
- Conradh na Gaeilge and 70+ groups seeking €5 million less funding than was provided in 2008.
- Foras na Gaeilge and Údarás na Gaeltachta were given additional responsibilities without the necessary additional resources.
- First joint call for funding from both the authorities and community groups.
- More than 1,160 jobs could be created as a result of the requested funding.
- This will positively impact on the island’s economy and economic development north and south.****
- Interest in Irish and the use of the language is continuously growing, especially amongst young people. For example, over one million people have recently listened to the famous celebrity Ed Sheeran singing in Irish.
- Governments must make Irish a priority as we move towards 125 years of Irish-language revival.
* 93% of the population in the south support the revival or preservation of the Irish language, according to ESRI & NUI Maynooth, 2009; ESRI, 2015.
** Census 2011.
*** Attitudes towards the Irish Language and Irish language policy, Millward Brown, 2015.
**** Attitudes towards the Irish Language and Irish language policy, Millward Brown, 2015; Economic benefits associated with the Irish language which accrue to Galway City and to the Galway Gaeltacht, Gaillimh le Gaeilge, 2009.
