Seasann AMLÉ go Dlúthpháirtíocht leis an Stailc Stairiúil ar son na Gaeilge R.A.I.C.
Tá Aontas na Mac Léinn in Éirinn (AMLÉ) ag seasamh go dlúthpháirtíoc le breis is 40 grúpa Gaeilge agus Gaeltachta fud fad na tíre inniu, Dé Céadaoin, i stailc leathlae mar chuid den fheachtas RAIC. Seo an chéad uair riamh dóibh dul ar stailc. Tá an stailc á eagrú le héilimh ar an dá Rialtas thuaidh agus theas aisiompú a dhéanamh ar na ciorruithe is déanaí de €820,000 a d’fhógair Foras na Gaeilge tríd an maoiniú cuí a chur ar fáil don Fhoras anois agus le réiteach fadtéarmach do mhaoiniú na Gaeilge a fhorbairt ar bhonn práinne.
Tháinig an cinneadh seo sna sála ar Thionól Géarchéime a reáchtáladh idir grúpaí pobail agus ceannairí eagraíochtaí ar an 12ú Feabhra i mBaile Átha Cliath. Is é aidhm an fheachtais RAIC ná réiteach a bhaint amach ar an dífheistíocht fadtéarmach agus ar an easpa cothromaíochta i maoiniú na Gaeilge. Tá pobal na Gaeilge ag éileamh go ndéanfar dul chun cinn anois chun an ghéarchéim ghearrthéarmach agus fadtéarmach araon a réiteach.
Tagann an ciorrú is déanaí seo tráth a bhfuil an DUP ag cur bac ar an mholadh atá ar an tábla chun leasú a dhéanamh ar struchtúr maoinithe an Fhorais Teanga.
Faoi láthair, tagann 25% de bhuiséad Fhoras na Gaeilge ón rialtas ó thuaidh agus 75% ón rialtas ó dheas. Ní féidir le ceachtar rialtas airgead breise a chur ar fáil gan a chomhionann a theacht ón taobh eile. Ach le gairid, d’aontaigh na hAirí Airgeadais ar struchtúr nua, trí Chomhairle Aireachta Thuaidh-Theas, a ligfeadh do rialtas amháin maoiniú breise a chur ar fáil gan cead ná comhionann ón taobh eile.
Tá bac curtha ag an DUP ar an moladh seo dul ar chlár oibre an Fheidhmeannais cúig huaire ó mhí na Samhna. Mar thoradh air sin, tá moill curtha acu ar mhaoiniú breise don Ghaeilge ar fud na tíre, in ainneoin dearbhaithe ó Rialtas na hÉireann go bhfuil an t-airgead réidh le scaoileadh láithreach.
I measc éilimh an fheachtais, tá na grúpaí ag lorg;
- Go nglacfaidh an dá Rialtas leis an mhúnla nua maoinithe molta ag na Ranna Airgeadais láithreach bonn;
- Gealltanas ó Fhoras na Gaeilge go mbeadh aisiompú ar an €820,000 do dheontaithe mar chéad tosaíocht in aon mhaoiniú breise a fhaightear ó na Rialtais, ina measc scoláireachtaí do mhic léinn tríú leibhéal chun na Gaeltachta;
- Ar a laghad an €20m sa bhreis a chur ar fáil d’Fhoras na Gaeilge faoi mar atá luaite sa Phlean Fáis, plean infheistíochta don Ghaeilge agus don Ghaeltacht aontaithe idir 130 grúpa, Aontas na mac Léinn in Éirinn ina measc agus;
- Gealltanas ó Fhoras na Gaeilge go maoineofar na tionscadail / deontaithe luaite sa Plean Fáis mar thosaíocht d’aon mhaoiniú sa bhreis faighte ón dá Rialtas nó aon Rialtas amháin.
Dúirt Bláithín Nic a t-Sithigh, Leas-Uachtarán AMLÉ don Ghaeilge:
“Níl an tarna rogha ag pobal na Gaeilge agus na Gaeltachta ach seasamh suas agus dul ar stailc inniu. Tá AMLÉ ag seasamh go dlúthpháirteach leo siúd atá ar stailc. Tá na ciorruithe seo ag cruthú frustrachais agus deacrachtaí do ghrúpaí pobail, eagraíochtaí, agus do scoláirí atá ag brath ar mhaoiniú ó Fhoras na Gaeilge.
Le 20 bliain anuas, tá laghdú 45% tagtha ar mhaoiniú an Fhorais toisc boilsciú, cé go bhfuil maoiniú an Chomhairle Ealaíon sa Deisceart ocht n-uaire níos airde faoi láthair. Anois, ag am a bhfuil borradh ag teacht le h-úsáid na Gaeilge agus spéis ag an phobal inti, tá cosc á chur ar dul chun cinn mar gheall ar easpa infheistíochta, ina measc scoláireachtaí tríú leibhéal chun na Gaeltachta.
Tá moladh tuillte ag pobal na Gaeilge as seasamh le chéile ag an am criticiúil seo. Tá réiteach de dhíth orainn anois – réiteach fadtéarmach agus cothrom, gan a thuilleadh moille.”
Tá AMLÉ ag impí ar mhic léinn, teagascóirí, agus gach duine ar spéis leo an Ghaeilge seasamh go dlúth lena chéile inniu. Níl gealltanais fholmha sách maith. Tá gníomh de dhíth anois!
#tógRAIC
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USI/AMLÉ Stands in Solidarity with Historic Irish Language Strike R.A.I.C.
The Union of Students in Ireland (USI/AMLÉ) stands in full solidarity with more than 40 Irish language and Gaeltacht groups across the country today, Wednesday, in a half-day strike as part of the RAIC campaign. This is the first time they have ever gone on strike. The strike is being organized to demand that both the Northern and Southern governments reverse the recent €820,000 cuts announced by Foras na Gaeilge by providing the necessary funding now and developing a long-term solution for Irish language funding as a matter of urgency.
This decision followed a Crisis Assembly between community groups and lead organisations who are affected by the cuts on 12th February 2025 in Dublin. The RAIC campaign aims to resolve long-term disinvestment and lack of equality and funding in the Irish language sector and to call for the short-term and long-term emergency to be resolved.
The latest cut comes as the DUP continues to block a proposal on the table to reform the funding structure of the North-South Language Body.
Currently, 25% of Foras na Gaeilge’s budget comes from the Northern government and 75% from the Southern government. Neither government can provide additional funding without an equal contribution from the other. Recently, however, the Finance Ministers agreed on a new structure, through the North-South Ministerial Council, that would allow either government to provide extra funding without an equal contribution from the other.
The DUP has blocked this proposal from reaching the Executive’s agenda five times since November. As a result, they are preventing additional Irish language funding across the island, despite the Irish Government confirming that the money is ready to be released immediately.
The campaign groups are calling for:
- Immediate adoption by both Governments of the new funding model for Foras na Gaeilge as proposed by both Finance Departments and the North South Ministerial Council (September 2024);
- A commitment from Foras na Gaeilge to prioritize reversing the €820,000 in grant cuts as the first use of any additional funding received from the governments, including third-level student scholarships for Gaeltacht courses;
- To provide Foras na Gaeilge with at least the additional €20m as laid out in the Growth Plan, an investment plan for the Irish language and the Gaeltacht agreed between 130 groups, inclusing USI/AMLÉ and;
- A commitment from Foras na Gaeilge to fund the projects/grantees mentioned in the Growth Plan as a priority for any additional funding received from both Governments or one Government.
Bláithín Nic a t-Sithigh, USI/AMLÉ’s Leas Uachtarán don Ghaeilge has said:
“The Irish language and Gaeltacht community have no choice but to stand up and strike today. AMLÉ stands in solidarity with those on strike. These latest cuts are creating frustration and difficulties for many groups that rely on Foras na Gaeilge funding.
There has been an effective 45% reduction in Foras na Gaeilge’s funding over the past 20 years due to inflation. At the same time, the Arts Council in the South now receives eight times more funding than Foras na Gaeilge. This comes at a time of huge interest in the Irish language, yet groups are now being held back because of these cuts. It’s a shame that these cuts will also affect third-level scholarships for Gaeltacht courses.
The Irish language community deserves credit for standing together today. We need a long-term, satisfactory solution without delay.”
USI/AMLÉ is urging students, educators, and Irish speakers to stand together in solidarity with those striking today. We deserve better than empty promises. Now is the time for action.
#TógRAIC