The first annual report on the progress of the Government’s 2018–2022 ACTION PLAN for Irish launched by Minister Martin and Minister of State Chambers
Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin TD and Minister of State for Sport and the Gaeltacht and Government Chief-Whip, Jack Chambers TD, today launched the first annual report on the progress of the 2018–2022 ACTION PLAN for Irish for the period July 2018 to June 2019 on behalf of the Government.
The publication of this report – which was submitted to Government last Tuesday – aligns with the commitment made when the Action Plan was launched in June 2018 for the annual publication of such a report, in the interests of transparency and accountability. While it had been the intention to publish the report at the beginning of this year, its publication had to be deferred due primarily to the pandemic.
It provides an insight into what has been achieved by the c. 60 stakeholders involved with the implementation of the action plan and the overall 20-Year Strategy, to attend to the c. 180 actions contained over the period from July 2018 to June 2019.
Among the achievements made in the reporting period:
- Significant strides were made by the Department of Education and Skills in implementing the Policy on Gaeltacht Education 2017-2022
- Údarás na Gaeltachta opened four digital hubs in Béal an Mhuirthead in County Mayo, in Gaoth Dobhair, in An Cheathrú Rua in County Galway, along with Mol Teic in conjunction with other agencies in Daingean Uí Chúis in County Kerry.
- 9 Language Planning Officers and 3 Assistant Language Planning Officers were appointed during the period to implement Language Plans in the Language Planning Areas.
- Over 40,000 online users are learning Irish in over 130 countries on the Massive Open Online Course ‘Fáilte ar Líne’.
- The Internship Scheme in European Union institutions has been expanded and opportunities are now being provided for graduates to acquire work placements in the fields of translation and proof-reading.
- The English and Irish versions of the Rules of the Superior Courts were digitised and aligned and a valuable legal terminology resource has been made available at www.gaois.ie. The project was delivered by the (then) Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, and the Department of Justice and Equality.
- The list of public bodies subject to the Official Languages Act was updated, which had not previously been done since the last Regulations came into effect in 2006. The Regulations have since entered the Statute Book and will be updated every two years from now on.
Further details are provided in the notes for editors below.
Regarding the Official Languages Bill (Amendment), the Bill was published in December 2019 and was discussed the second stage in Dáil Éireann yesterday. The Government has pledged that the Bill will be stronger and will be enacted before year end.
Further information on the Action Plan (PG5) and the 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language (S20) is available at the following link: https://www.gov.ie/en/policy-information/2ea63-20-year-strategy-for-the-irish-language/
Minister Martin said “it is clear from the report published today, in accordance with the Government’s decision, that significant progress is being made in implementing the Plan, and accordingly in implementing the 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language which is the State’s policy on the Irish language and the Gaeltacht. It is a source of satisfaction and hope that such progress has been made by the 60-plus stakeholders responsible for implementing the plan – who include Government departments and State agencies, along with Irish language and Gaeltacht organisations. As a result of this work, the implementation of the 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language has been accelerated and to the overall ultimate benefit of the Irish language and Gaeltacht. Furthermore, the report marks out areas for further action. At the heart of this is the spirit of the meitheal, and due to the publication of this report, a significant step forward has been taken to ensure that an accountable approach is in place in future to safeguard progress as well as what has been planned by each relevant organisation in order to implement the Action Plan”.
Minister of State Chambers said: “I welcome this report. Amongst the most significant achievements made during the period of the report, the implementation of the language planning process in the Gaeltacht Language Planning Areas, Gaeltacht Service Towns and Irish Language Networks was accelerated. As a result of the partnership and shared ownership involved, I am pleased, as Minister of State, that significant progress is evident. It is recognised in the Plan that the actions set out are a baseline and that other ways are continuously being looked at to further add to what has been set out in the Plan in the period ahead as further opportunities and resources arise”.
It is intended that the second report on progress will be published early in 2021 and will cover the period from July 2019 to December 2020.