A national election will take place on Friday, 29 November 2024.
Conradh na Gaeilge is urging the Irish-speaking community to consider #GaelVóta when casting their votes in this election.
Conradh na Gaeilge is urging the Irish-speaking community to consider #GaelVóta when casting their votes in this election.
Stance of the Parties
As part of the Gaelvóta campaign, we gathered information on the stance of the political parties regarding the Irish language and Gaeltacht demands that we sent to them a few weeks ago. We want people to have the opportunity to take these positions into account when casting their votes on Friday in the general election.
-
Conradh na Gaeilge is hosting action forums across the country ahead of the election to discuss the demands of the Irish-speaking and Gaeltacht communities.
#GAELVÓTA
Conradh na Gaeilge is hosting action forums across the country ahead of the election to discuss the demands of the Irish-speaking and Gaeltacht communities.
#GAELVÓTA
1. Growth Plan
To tackle the historically low base in the funding provided to the Irish language and the Gaeltacht, which is shown in the Growth Plan, and to meet the needs identified by 130+ Irish language, Gaeltacht and other groups.
Tuilleadh eolas faoin bPlean Fáis anseo.
2. Education
- 55,000 second level students are now exempt from studying Irish (13.4% of the total number of second level students)
- 23% of students did not take the Irish exam for the Leaving Cert in 2024
- 18% of students did not take the Irish exam for the Junior Cert in 2024 (99% of students took the English exam and 98% of students took the maths exam)
- The teaching of Irish in primary schools from is to be reduced 30 minutes a week from 1st to 6th class
The below recommendations would also help to facilitate students with special needs and students entering the system late instead of excluding them from learning Irish:
3. Gaeltacht Housing
The housing crisis that has been ravaging this country for some years is a systemic, national crisis, but there is additional complexity to the situation in the Gaeltacht where the future of our language is being endangered by the current system - a system that is removing people from the Gaeltacht from their home areas because it is not possible to buy, build or rent a house on a long term basis.
4. Senior Minister
To ensure that Irish language and Gaeltacht matters are discussed and prioritised in Government proceedings - whether that be at cabinet meetings, or leadership of the Department’s own budget, or status for the Gaeltacht and the Irish language, or otherwise it is clear to us that there is a need for a Senior Minister and not a Minister of State for the Gaeltacht and Irish Language Affairs.
