The Minister for Education and Skills Joe McHugh T.D. today announced the appointment of the new Board of COGG for a three-year term from 1 March 2019 until 28 February 2022.
The Government’s aim is to preserve and sustain the Irish language and to increase people’s everyday use and knowledge of Irish. The roadmap for delivering these aims is set out in the Whole of Government 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030. Education is core to this and COGG’s role in providing advice to the Minister on policies relating to Irish language provision and promotion in all schools, education through the medium of Irish and in planning and coordinating the provision of resource in Irish is essential to success. The COGG Board has a key role to play in leading and directing COGG’s activities, providing strategic guidance to the executive and monitoring the effectiveness of management.
Minster McHugh said: “I am delighted to announce the appointment of the new COGG Board and the re-appointment of Dónal Ó hAiniféin as Chairperson designate. The work of COGG is key to delivering on the education commitments contained in the 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language.”
Minister McHugh added: “I am committed to all endeavors in growing the Irish language and to seeing it flourish and I am confident that the new Board of COGG will help with this very important ambition.”
The Minister thanked the outgoing members of the COGG Board for their commitment and contribution over the last three years.
The new Board is as follows:
Nominating Body | Name |
Minster for Education and Skills | *Donal O hAinifein (Chairperson Designate) |
Údarás na Gaeltachta | *Daríona Nic Con Iomaire |
Údarás na Gaeltachta | Pádraig Feiritéar |
Gaelscoileanna Teoranta | *Bláthnaid Ní Ghréacháin |
Gaelscoileanna Teoranta | *Cathnia Ó Muircheartaigh |
Foras Na Gaeilge | Edel Ní Chorráin |
Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO) | *Deirbhile Nic Craith |
Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland (ASTI) | TBC |
Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) | *Seamus Ó Fearraigh |
National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) | *Elaine Ní Neachtain |
Department of Education and Skills | *Rita Nic Amhlaoibh |
Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) | Liam Dempsey. |
*re-appointment
ENDS
Notes for Editors:
An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta (COGG)
The new COGG Board consists of 8 re-appointments (including the Chair) and 4 new appointments.
COGG was established under the Education Act 1998 and its functions are:
- to plan and co-ordinate the provision of textbooks and aids to learning and teaching through Irish
- to advise the Minister on policies relating to the provision and promotion of education through the medium of Irish in recognised schools generally and in schools located in a Gaeltacht area
- to provide support services to those schools through the medium of Irish, and
- to conduct research into any or all matters to which this paragraph applies, and
- to plan and co-ordinate the provision of textbooks and aids to the learning and teaching of Irish and to conduct research into and to advise the Minister on strategies which have as their objective the enhancement of the effectiveness in the teaching of Irish in recognised schools and centres for education
COGG currently has a full time executive staff of seven, led by the Chief Executive.
COGG’s grant funding from the Department in 2019 is in the amount of circa. €3m.
The website of COGG is available at www.cogg.ie
Functions of the Board:
The Board is responsible for directing COGG’s activities, providing strategic guidance to the executive team and monitoring the effectiveness of management.
There are no fees payable to members of the Council.
Gender balance
In accordance with the Guidelines on Appointments to State Boards, the Minister will take account of gender balance when making appointments to the Council, aligning with the Government’s commitment to achieve a target of 40% representation of each gender on all State Boards.
The new board complies with the gender balance requirement.
Appointment of nominated members to State Boards
The Guidelines on Appointments to State Boards specifies that there are certain exemptions relating to the appointment of persons to state boards including:
“Where an agreement or arrangement is in place under which Ministers seek nominations for appointment to State Boards from key stakeholder organisations (such as trade unions, employer organisations, farming representatives or voluntary bodies)”.