The Union of Students in Ireland is adding its voice to calls for Government to commit to creating and funding a proper investment plan for the Irish language, after a disappointing Budget for Gaeilge and the Gaeltacht.
Budget 2024 saw the smallest increase in funding in four years for the Irish language, despite Irish language activists already saying that the allocation of finances is far off where it should be.
None of the asks in the USI’s Pre-Budget submission for the Irish language were introduced by Government on Tuesday.
USI’s Leas-Uachtarán don Ghaeilge, Bláithín Nic a t-Sithigh said: “USI has continuously lobbied the Government for increased funding for the Irish Language and the Gaeltacht, in particular for third-level courses through Irish. We are also part of Conradh na Gaeilge’s ‘Plean Fáis,’ which sets out an investment plan for the language. Under this plan, there would be a staged increase to an overall spend of 0.4 percent of the Budget on Irish. In Budget 2024, we will only be spending 0.17 percent on Irish.
“While the increased funding to TG4 and Roinn na Gaeltachta is welcomed, it does not go far enough. The Irish Language is at a crisis point in terms of preservation of the Gaeltacht and the language itself and the Government doesn’t seem to acknowledge that. If we are to believe this Government has aspirations for the future of the language, then we need to see action.”
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Tá Aontas na Mac Léinn in Éirinn ag éileamh ar an Rialtas gealltanas a thabhairt chun plean infheistíochta ceart don Ghaeilge a chruthú agus a mhaoiniú, tar éis buiséad díomách don Ghaeilge agus don Ghaeltacht.
Ba i mBuiséad 2024 a tháinig an t-ardú is lú ar mhaoiniú na Gaeilge le ceithre bliana anuas, in ainneoin go bhfuil gníomhaithe teangan ag rá cheana féin go bhfuil méid an airgeadais i bhfad ón áit ar cheart dó a bheith.
Níor thug an Rialtas aon cheann de na moltaí in aighneacht Réamhbhuiséid AMLÉ don Ghaeilge isteach Dé Máirt.
Dúirt Leas-Uachtarán don Ghaeilge le AMLÉ, Bláithín Nic a t-Sithigh: “Dhein AMLÉ stocaireacht leanúnach ar an Rialtas chun maoiniú breise a chur ar fáil don Ghaeilge agus don Ghaeltacht, go háirithe do chúrsaí tríú leibhéal trí Ghaeilge. Chomh maith leis sin, táimid mar chuid de ‘Plean Fáis’ Chonradh na Gaeilge, ina leagtar amach plean infheistíochta don teanga. Faoin bplean sin, bheadh ardú céimnithe ar chaiteachas iomlán a chaitear ar an nGaeilge chuig 0.4 faoin gcéad sa Buiséad. I mBuiséad 2024, níl ach 0.17 faoin gcéad á chaitheamh ar an nGaeilge.
“Cé go bhfáiltímid roimh an maoiniú breise do TG4 agus Roinn na Gaeltachta, ní théann sé fada go leor. Tá géarchéim sa Ghaeilge ó thaobh chaomhnú na Gaeltachta agus an teanga féin agus is cosúil nach n-admhaíonn an Rialtas é sin. Má táimid chun a chreidiúint go bhfuil mianta ag an Rialtas seo maidir le todhchaí na teanga, caithfimid beart tapaidh a fheiscint.”