Parliamentary Under Secretary for Gaeltacht Matters, Patrick O’Donovan, was received hospitably in Galway recently. He presented a Language-Based Arts Plan and a Gaeltacht Department chequebook, signalling fantastic developments for the language-based arts industry and the Irish-speaking populace.
The plan makes a commitment to acknowledge drama, storytelling, duologue, interpretive dance, singing, verbatim poetry as crucial cultural facets that hold significant influence on the people and the communities around them.
Pledges were made for monetary provisions to organisations connected to the Irish language in the community, language-based arts, commercial undertakings, and to parents and youngsters in the Gaeltacht.
To encapsulate, funding in four-year tranches for the 2024-2027 period amounting to €5.7m was proclaimed for Taibhdhearc na Gaillimhe and €4m for Oireachtas na Gaeilge for the implementation of their National Action Plan that will nurture and endorse Irish language-based arts.
A grant of €5.4m was ratified for Tuismitheoirí na Gaeltachta intended for the 2024-2026 period. Over €1.9m in capital will be allocated to Údarás na Gaeltachta to incentivise Gaeltacht businesses in the service, commercial and hospitality branches to utilise Irish; and €3.7m will be accessible to Comhar Naíonraí na Gaeltachta to amplify preschool services in the Gaeltacht.
“This major move is a significant leap forward in the language planning procedure,” declared Under Secretary O’Donovan.
“I anticipate that these measures disclosed today will benefit businesses, parents, artists and the general public alike. I hope they will engage in the fortification and endorsement of the Irish language in the Gaeltacht areas and beyond,” he stated.
Cross-Agency Committee
The plan conceives the inception of a cross-agency committee piloted by the Department to “guarantee increased synergy and unity” in the fortification of the Irish language and Gaeltacht arts.
Plans are underway to assemble a group of facilitators outside of the Gaeltacht, mirroring the Ealaín na Gaeltacht facilitators active within the Gaeltacht regions, entrusted with the task of promoting and progressively shaping the development of arts rooted in the Irish language. Proposing the placement of an officer in each district inclusive of the capital, Dublin, is also on the agenda.
The blueprint also includes the appointment of a nationwide co-ordinator to uplift the functions of local facilitators and to assume a commanding role in the operations of the joint-agency committee. The Irish language artistic community has been financially precarious for a considerable period, highlighted by past debates in the Houses of the Oireachtas that implied a severe imbalance; the national expenditure on opera being sevenfold that of Irish and Gaeltacht arts.
This financial package undeniably represents a significant stride forward. However, the proclamation made in Galway isn’t an unlimited credit, and will not necessarily resolve all issues, but is substantial relief for an industry suffering for a substantial period.
As articulated by Chairperson of Taibhdhearc na Gaillimhe’s board, Siobhán Nic Fhlannchadha, “We now have a written guarantee, let the work commence, it indeed brings a sense of fulfiment.” She added, “For eons we’ve been awaiting this moment. I’m elated beyond words.” Her connection to Irish language theatre prompts her frequent use of the phrase ‘For the cause’.
An Taibhdhearc’s new financial allocation of €5.7m (an annual €1.4m) presents a steep incline in support. The theatre’s previous funding stood at €320,000 per year. The financial crunch led to the temporary delegation of theatre direction. The intended objective of this blueprint is the actualisation of Oireachtas na Gaeilge’s vision, with €4m set aside for this institution, to cultivate Irish language-centred arts from 2024 to 2027.
Máirín Nic Dhonnchadha, the leader of Oireachtas na Gaeilge, expressed her joy upon hearing the recent news. She articulated that both Foras na Gaeilge and the Department have been receiving their demands for years regarding the underfunded language-based arts sector, which has been struggling for over two decades because of insufficient investments.
She asserted that this recent development would offer numerous prospects for growth and advancement not only on a national scale as Oireachtas na Samhna operates but also within local and regional parameters throughout the nation. Despite the challenges presented by the new plan, she expressed eagerness towards its implementation.
The expectation is that the fresh funding would establish a solid base for the industry and progressively diminish the persistent discrepancy between the language-based arts and other sectors that are beneficiaries of State funding. A preceding investigative report disclosed that Foras na Gaeilge had not formulated a structured, stage-based arts plan. Thus, the fact that these funds were sourced directly from the Department of the Gaeltacht, not An Foras, is noteworthy.
There have been instances where the excessively vast variety of responses provided by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media were under scrutiny, but their actions have been applauded in this instance.
It would be interesting to observe whether other departments would adopt a similar integrative approach as regards dealing with naíonraí operating outside the Gaeltacht. There are specific strategic interdepartmental matters at play here. These are addressed by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, even though these are critical steps towards immersion education, rather than being maintained under the Department of Education.
As per the Department of Children’s report last year, only 53 naíonraí were entirely functioning in Irish outside the Gaeltacht. The naíonraí instilled hope as it energised and set the context for Irish medium immersion education. Yet, curiously, they remained unexplored by organisations managing the naíonraí outside the Gaeltacht.
Gaeloideachas has described the Department of Children’s preceding year’s report as a “very stark indication” of the state of naíonraí and accordingly seeks an in-depth strategy for early immersion education to rectify the situation.
If the Department of the Gaeltacht levels the playing field by delivering the same aid to naíonraí outside the Gaeltacht as those within, one may see the light again.
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