Dúirt Conor McGuinness, Comhairleoir de chuid Shinn Féin, go bhfuil deis ag an rialtas beart de réir a bhriathar a déanamh i dtaobh seirbhísí stáit sa Ghaeltacht, agus Bille na dTeangacha Oifigiúla á phlé sa Dáil faoi láthair.
Dúirt McGuinness:
“Tá Oifigigh Pleanála Teanga na hÉireann, maraon le go leor eagrais agus guthanna Gaetachta eile, ag éileamh ar an Aire Catherine Martin, agus ar an Aire Stáit Jack Chambers go gcinnteofar go mbeidh seirbhísí ón Stát ar fáil as Gaelainn sna ceantair Gaeltachta i mBille na dTeangacha
Oifigiúla.
“Caithfidh an Státseirbhís na dualgaisí atá acu a aithint agus a chomhlíonadh gan ceist maidir leis an dteanga náisiúnta, gurb í an phríomhtheanga oifigiúil í go dlíthiúil. Muna féidir leis an earnáil phoiblí cearta teanga saoránaigh na tíre seo a chosaint agus a ráthú, cén teachtaireacht a sheolann san amach?
“Cén mhaitheas Bille a dhréachtadh chun seirbhísí as Gaelainn “a láidriú” má theiptear go sonrach ar sheirbhísí ón Stát a bheith as Gaelainn sna Gaeltachtaí?
“Tá leasú ar an mBille molta ag Sinn Féin chun sainmhiniú soiléir agus daingeann a dhéanamh ar ‘inniúlacht sa Ghaelainn’, le cinntiú go mbeadh cumas láidiracu siúd atá fostaithe sa státseirbhís de barr a n-inniúlacht.
“Tá sé molta ag urlabhraí Gaeilge agus Gaeltachta Shinn Féin, Aengus Ó Snodaigh, gur ceart ar a laghad 20% do fhostaithe nua sa státseirbhís bheith inniúlacht sa Ghaelainn, agus ba cheart dóibh léiriú, ar a laghad, léibhéal B2 sa theanga, de réir an Comhchreat Tagartha na hEorpa um Theangacha. Is é an seo an bunleibhéal do fostaí a bhíonn ag feidhmiú trí Bhreatnais sa Bhreatain Bheag, nó in aon teanga sna hinstitiúidí de chuid an Aontas Eorpach.
“Caithfidh an rialtas seo beart de réir a bhriathar a dhéanamh. Gheall Fianna Fáil agus an Comhaontas Glas grian agus gealach do mhuintir na Gaeltachta roimh an olltoghcháin. Is léir anois go bhfuil siad ar tarraingt siar ar na gealltanais seo.
“Tá an deis anois ann reachtaíocht atá thar am chéanna féin a achtú, agus é a dhéanamh i gceart. Ná bíodh sé le rá gur theip ar an Stát aríst cothrom na Féinne a thaispeáint do lucht na Gaeltachta agus don nGaelainn ach go háirithe.”
CRÍOCH
McGuinness: Gaeltacht should not be denied state services in Irish
Sinn Féin Councillor Conor McGuinness has said that the Official Languages Bill, which is currently before the Dáil, provide the Government with an opportunity to do right by the Gaeltacht when it comes to the provision of state services in Irish
McGuinness said:
“Gaeltacht planning officers, along with many other Gaeltacht organisations and activists, are calling on Minister Catherine Martin and Minister of State Jack Chambers to ensure that state services are made available in Irish in the Gaeltacht areas in the Gaeltacht.
“The Civil Service must recognise and fulfill its duties in relation to the national language, which is also legally the principal official language of the state. If the public sector cannot protect and guarantee the language rights of the citizens of this country, what message does it send?
What good is drafting a Bill to “strengthen” services in Irish if there is a specific failure to provide state services through Irish within the Gaeltacht?
“Sinn Féin has proposed an amendment to the Bill to give a clear and strong definition of ‘proficiency in Irish’, to ensure that those employed in the civil service based on their Irish proficiency actually have enough Irish to fulfil their roles.
“Sinn Féin spokesperson Aengus Ó Snodaigh, has recommended that a minimum of 20% of new employees in the civil service should be proficient in Irish, and should demonstrate at least a B2 level in Irish according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. This is the basic level for an employee who works through the medium of Welsh in Wales, or in any language in the institutions of the European Union.
“The Government must practice what they preached. Fianna Fáil and the Green Party promised the people of the Gaeltacht sun and moon before the general election. It is now clear that they are rolling back these promises.
“We have an opportunity now to enact long-awaited legislation, and to do it right. Let it not be said that the State has once again failed to show fairness to the people of the Gaeltacht and to the Irish language in particular.”
Cllr. Conor D. McGuinness 