Protesting against Ignorance

dublin | rights and freedoms | press release Wednesday November 16, 2005 10:10 by Seán Ó hAdhmaill - Na Gaeil Óga nagaeiloga at gmail dot com

Ar son an Saineolais agus i gcoinne an aineolais

Beidh agóid mhóir ag na Gaeil Óga lasmuigh d’ardoifig Fhine Gael inniu i gcoinne ráiteas Enda Kenny ag an deireadh seachtaine.

English version below
Le Foilsiú Láithreach

Beidh agóid mhóir ag na Gaeil Óga lasmuigh d’ardoifig Fhine Gael inniu i gcoinne ráiteas Enda Kenny ag an deireadh seachtaine. D’fhógair Enda Kenny go raibh sé toilteannach fáil réidh leis an Gaeilge mar ábhar riachtanach don Ardteist feasta.

Tá an agóid seo eagraithe ag na Gaeil Óga agus tá tacaíocht faighte againn don agóid ó Chonradh na Gaeilge, Aontas na Macléinn, Ollscoil na Tríonóide agus gach Cumann Gaelach i ngach Coláiste i mBaile Átha Cliath agus níos faide. Chomh maith le sin, tá tacaíocht faighte againn ó Aontas na Macléinn in Éirinn, Aontas na Macléinn Iarbhunscoile, agus méid shuntasach eagrais Ghaeilge agus dáltaí scoile.

Beidh Daithí Mac Cárthaigh (Conradh na Gaeilge) agus Seán Ó hAdhmaill (Na Gaeil Óga) ag tabhairt na céadta litreacha gearáin leo ar an agóid. Tabharfar isteach iad go Ceanncheathrú Fhine Gael ag an agóid.

Dar le Ciarán Mac Fhearghusa, Cathaoirleach Na Gaeil Óga,
“Téann sé seo i gcoinne thraidisiún Fhine Gael, i gcoinne na Gaeilge agus Gaeilgeoirí na tíre. Má ghlactar leis an bpolasaí seo déanfar imeallú ar an nGaeilge agus ar na teangacha staidéartha eile sa chóras oideachais, rud a théann i gcoinne pholasaí Chomhairle na hEorpa, an A.E., agus ghnáth-mheon phobal na hÉireann.

Lean Mac Fhearghusa,
“Tá go leor bunfhadhbanna leis an ráiteas seo, mar shampla:
1. Ní réiteofaí fadhbanna maidir le múineadh na Gaeilge sna córais oideachais ar an oileán seo trí riachtanacht na Gaeilge a bhaint amach as córas oideachas dheisceart na hÉireann. Táthar ag déanamh athbhreithnithe ar an gcuraclam matamaitice, ní ag fáil réidh leis – cén fáth nach nglacann Fine Gael an dearcadh dearfach nuálach céanna i leith na Gaeilge – teanga ársa dhúchasach na tíre agus an tseoid chultúir is luachmhaire agus is saibhre dá bhfuil ag Éirinn?
2. Is iomaí scoil a d’éireodh as Gaeilge a mhúineadh don Ardteist ar fad, rud a bhfágfadh nach mbeadh an deis ag gach scoláire cumas mhaith a bhaint amach sa Ghaeilge, gan fiú trácht ar srianadh a dhéanamh ar dheiseanna poist san AE tar éis stadás.
3. D’ísleodh stádas na teanga i meon an phobail agus go háirithe i measc an aosa óig, rud a mbainfí ón sár-obair dhearfach a bhfuil déanta ar son na Gaeilge le blianta beaga anuas.

“Tá fadhbanna móra leis na córais oideachais agus an tslí ina ndeileáiltear leis an Ghaeilge lastaigh dóibh siúd. Níl réiteach na faidhbe sa mhéid a bhí le rá ag Enda Kenny, agus ní ghlacfar le haon ísliú i stádas na teanga. Tá sé de cheart go mbeadh an deis ag chuile dhuine ardchumas sa Ghaeilge a bhaint amach ar scoil ar shlí thaitneamhach rud nach bhfuil curtha ar fáil ag aon Rialtas go dtí seo.”

“Tús mhaith le réiteach na faidhbe ná moltaí Chonradh na Gaeilge i leith foghlaim teangacha:
1+1+1: Ardchumas i 3 theanga – Ag Fíorú na hAislinge Eorpaí
1. Cuirtear múinteoirí teanga idir bhun-mhúinteoirí agus mhúinteoirí dara leibhéil ar chúrsa tumoideachais bliana i ndúiche na teanga sin mar chuid dá n-oiliúint.
2. Múintear ábhar amháin de bhreis ar an nGaeilge féin trí Ghaeilge do gach scoláire.
3. Múintear ábhar amháin trí theanga ón iasacht do gach scoláire dara leibhéil.
• Beachtaítear siollabas Gaeilge (1) don chainteoir dúchais agus (2) don fhoghlaimeoir.
• Beachtaítear dianchúrsaí feabhais sa Ghaeilge don dalta a bhí ar scoil thar lear.
• Beachtaítear scrúduithe Stáit i mórtheangacha na bpobal inimirceach.”

“Seasann Na Gaeil Óga ar son saineolais agus i gcoinne aineolais.”

Beidh agóid ag Na Gaeil Óga lasmuigh de oifigí Fhine Gael ag a 1.30i.n. ar an gCéadaoin, 16 Deireadh Fómhair 2005.
CRÍOCH.

For Immediate Release

There will be a moajor protest outside of the Fine Gael Headquarters today against the statement made by Enda Kenny on the weekend. Enda Kenny announced that he was willing to get rid of Irish as a compulsory subject.

Although the protest is organised by the Gaeil Óga, and we have support for the protest from Conradh na Gaeilge, Trinity College, and every Cumann Gaelach in every College in Dublin and further afield. We have also received support from the Union of Students in Ireland, Union of Secondry Students and a large number of Irish Language organisations.

Seán Ó hAdhmaill (Na Gaeil Óga) and Daithí Mac Carthaigh (Conradh na Gaeilge) will hand hundreds of signed letters of compliant for the attention of Enda Kennt at Fine Gael Headquarters during the protest.

According to Ciarán Mac Fhearghusa, Chairperson of Na Gaeil Óga, the Irish language pressure group, set up to promote the Irish amongst young people,
“This goes against Fine Gael tradition and if implemented will marginalise not only Irish but other langauges in our education system, which conflicts with the aims of the EU, the Council of Europe and the attitude of the general population.

Mac Fhearghusa continues,
“There a number of basic problems with what Mr. Kenny is proposing, for example,
1. Ending compulsory Irish after Junior Cert will not rectify the problems in the education systems on this Island in relation to Irish. The Irish government is looking at improving the maths curriculum, fixing problems rather than doing away with the subject altogether - why can’t Fine Gael adopt the same positive and innovative approach to Irish – the ancient and native language of Ireland and it’s most precious and unique cultural asset?
2. Were a student obliged to choose between Irish and a subject necessary for his/her career (such as biologly or chemistry in the case of medicine) that student would be denied the choice to study Irish.
3. Many schools would discontinue offering Irish at Leaving Cert level, to the linguistic detriment of Irish pupils and employment prospects in the EU after STADÁS.
4. Such a policy would mean that the Irish language could suffer from a reduction in the status of the language within Irish society, undoing much of the great work done in reviving the Irish language in recent years.

“We are under no illusion of the huge problems in the way Irish is dealt with within Ireland’s education systems. However, the current situation will not be rectified by Enda Kenny’s comments on ending compulsory Irish post-junior cert, and we are strongly against any moves to reduce the status achieve so far for the Irish language. We believe it, a basic right, that everyone should have the opportunity to gain an competent level of Irish in an enjoyable and interesting setting during their schooling, something that has not been realised by any government to date.”

“A step forward in improving the current situation would be the implementation of Conradh na Gaeilge’s proposals on improving the teaching of languages:

1+1+1 Proficiency in 3 languages – Realising the European Ideal
1. All language teachers at both primary and post-primary level to have attended a year long immersion course in that language’s heartland as part of their training.
2. One subject along with Irish to be taught through Irish to all pupils/students.
3. One subject to be taught through a third language to every second level student.

• The realisation of an Irish language syllabus (1) for native speakers and (2) for learners.
• The realisation of intense ‘catch up’ courses in Irish for pupils who attended school overseas.
• The realisation of State examinations in the major languages of the immigrant communities.”

Na Gaeil Óga will be organising a large protest outside the Fine Gael Headquarters at 1pm on Wednesday, 16th November 2005.
ENDS