Cork TDs lobbied to support 2000 jobs plan for Gaeltacht
TDS and senators from Cork constituencies were among those lobbied at a pre-Budget summit by Irish language and Gaeltacht activists seeking an additional €5m investment which they claim could lead to 2000 extra jobs in the sector.
Clinic na Gaeilge, organised by Irish language advocacy group Conradh na Gaeilge, gives co-op managers and activists from all over Ireland an opportunity to make the case to politicians to back their ambitious Irish Language and Gaeltacht Investment Plan.
While Brexit overshadows this year’s Budget, due to be announced by Finance Minister Paschal Donohue on Tuesday, Conradh na Gaeilge representatives are still hopeful that their plan will secure additional funding for the sector given its emphasis on job creation.
The lobbying event has yielded results in previous years with additional funding being secured for language planning and support of Gaeltacht co-operatives which are providing a range of vital services to communities in Múscraí, Oileán Cléire and other Gaeltacht communities.
Gaeltacht funding and support for the cross border Foras na Gaeilge was hit badly during the tenure of Fianna Fáil minister Éamon O Cuív in 2003 and was hit again during the financial crisis of 2008-2010.
Among the Cork representatives attending the event were Aindrias Moynihan TD, Kevin O’Keeffe TD, Margaret Murphy O’Connor TD and city representatives Mícheál Martin TD, Michael McGrath TD and Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire.
President of Conradh na Gaeilge, Dr Niall Comer, said the Irish Language and Gaeltacht Investment Plan had been agreed by 88 Irish language and Gaeltacht groups, including Comharchumann Forbartha Mhúscraí and Comharchumann Cléire from Cork.
“It will also provide essential resources towards the language planning process, and afford the public many opportunities across the country to use Irish,” said Dr Comer.
“Údarás na Gaeltachta, the Gaeltacht employment authority, has seen its capital budget slashed by up to 65% since 2008 and Foras na Gaeilge, the cross-border body promoting Irish, has had a €5 million reduction in funding since 2008.
“It is time for the Government to reinvest in our Gaeltachts and in our language.”
The event was held as part of Conradh na Gaeilge’s #SEAS19 (seisiúin eolais agus spreagtha) pre-budget campaign, which involves information and progress sessions on Irish language and Gaeltacht affairs.
According to Conradh na Gaeilge advocacy manager Peadar Mac Fhlannchadha, politicians who don’t have much interest in the Irish language are persuaded by the economic and cultural arguments articulated at the event.
“When they see we’re a community in ourselves and that people are involved, they pay attention,” he said.