Tá cáineadh géar déanta ag Urlabhraí Shinn Féin ar Ghnóthaí Tuaithe, Forbairt Pobail, agus An Ghaeltacht, Conor McGuinness TD, ar an dréachtpholasaí is déanaí maidir le Tithíocht Inbhuanaithe Tuaithe agus Ghaeltachta, tar éis dó teacht chun solais gur bhain na hAirí leas as sonraí daonáirimh 2016 seachas na sonraí is déanaí ó dhaonáireamh 2022 agus iad ag moladh córas nua do thithe i bhforbairtí il-aonad sa Ghaeltacht.

Dúirt an Teachta McGuinness:

“Tá sé dochreidte go bhfuil an Rialtas ag iarraidh ceangal díreach a dhéanamh idir líon na dtithe a chuirfear ar fáil do chainteoirí Gaeilge agus céatadán na gcainteoirí laethúla Gaeilge, taobh amuigh den chóras oideachais, i Limistéir Phleanála Teanga, ach gur bhain siad féin úsáid as na sonraí míchearta chun an polasaí sin a cheapadh.”

“De réir an dréachtpholasaí, beidh céatadán na n-aonad atá le cur ar leataobh do chainteoirí Gaeilge bunaithe ar chéatadán na gcainteoirí laethúla lasmuigh den chóras oideachais de réir an Daonáirimh is déanaí. Ach ní hé sin a rinne na hAirí. Bhain siad úsáid as figiúirí ó 2016 in ionad na bhfigiúirí is déanaí ó 2022. Ní féidir polasaí don todhchaí a thógáil ar staitisticí atá beagnach deich mbliana as dáta.”

Dúirt sé go bhfuil impleachtaí tromchúiseacha leis an mbotún seo do phobail Ghaeltachta agus taispeánann sé an neamhaird atá déanta ag an Aire Browne agus Cummins, ar an méid atá ag teastáil ó mhuintir na Gaeltachta.

“Má tá sé mar aidhm ag an Rialtas úsáid na Gaeilge a chosaint agus a neartú, caithfidh siad tosnú leis na fíricí cearta.”

Thug McGuinness le fios freisin go n-admhaíonn an dréachtpholasaí féin gur cheart 10% breise a chur leis na céatadáin chun úsáid laethúil na Gaeilge a fheabhsú, ach nach bhfuil aon chiall leis sin pé scéal é agus laghdaíonn sé an fán gcéad in áiteanna mar Ghaeltacht na nDéise ó 80%, mar atá ann anois, go dtí 37%.”

“Má tá an Rialtas dáiríre faoin nGaeltacht, caithfidh siad an dréacht seo a leasú láithreach. Ní mór tuairimí phobail na Gaeltachta a léiriú sa dréachtpholasaí seo, rud atá déanta ag Sinn Féin le cúpla seachtainí le cruinnithe poiblí agus príobháideacha le muintir na Gaeltachta agus grúpaí Ghaeltachta”

Chríochnaigh sé:

“Tá todhchaí na Gaeltachta róthábhachtach le bheith bunaithe ar botún chomh bunúsach seo. Tá dualgas ar an Rialtas an dréachtpholasaí a cheartú sula gcuirfear aon leagan deiridh os comhair an phobail.” 

ENGLISH

Government cannot plan the future of the Gaeltacht based on outdated data – McGuinness

Sinn Féin Spokesperson on Rural Affairs, Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Conor McGuinness TD, has strongly criticised the Government’s latest draft Sustainable Rural and Gaeltacht Housing Policy after it emerged that the Ministers used the wrong data when proposing a new system for Irish speaker housing in multi-unit developments in the Gaeltacht.Deputy McGuinness said:”It is incredible that the Government is attempting to create a direct link between the number of homes to be reserved for Irish speakers and the percentage of daily Irish speakers, while using the wrong data themselves to devise that very policy.””Under the draft policy, the percentage of units to be reserved for Irish speakers will be based on the proportion of daily Irish speakers outside the education system, over three years of age, according to the most recent Census. But that is not what the Ministers have done. They relied on figures from 2016 instead of the latest figures from 2022. You cannot build a policy for the future on statistics that are almost a decade out of date.”He said this error has serious implications for Gaeltacht communities and demonstrates the disregard shown by Ministers Browne and Cummins for what Gaeltacht communities actually need.”If the Government’s objective is to protect and strengthen the use of the Irish language, it must start with the correct facts.”McGuinness also pointed out that the draft policy itself acknowledges that an additional 10% should be added to these percentages in order to strengthen the daily use of Irish. However, he said that this makes little sense in any event, as it would reduce the proportion of homes reserved for Irish speakers in areas like the Waterford Gaeltacht from the current 80% to just 37%.”If the Government is serious about the future of the Gaeltacht, it must amend this draft immediately. The views of Gaeltacht communities must be reflected in this draft policy. Sinn Féin has been engaging directly with Gaeltacht residents and representative organisations over recent weeks through a series of public and private meetings, and those views must now be listened to.”He concluded:”The future of the Gaeltacht is far too important to be based on such a fundamental mistake. The Government has a responsibility to correct this draft policy before any final version is presented to the public.”