Mhaígh Urlabhraí Gaeilge, Gaeltachta, Ealaíon agus Cultúir Shinn Féin, Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD, go bhfuil Bille na dTeangacha Oifigiúla (Leasú) 2019 i bhfad níos láidre achtaithe ná mar a bhí beartaithe nuair ar foilsíodh ar dtús é, toisc brú agus leasuithe molta ag Sinn Féin, ach go bhfuil a lán oibre fós ag teastáil má tá slánú le déanamh ar chás na Gaeilge agus na Gaeltachta.

Bhí sé ag labhairt agus an céim deireanach den Bhille rite sa Dáil inniu, atá tar éis glacadh le leasuithe ón Seanad. Rachaidh an Bille anois go dtí an Uachtarán, agus tar éis a shíniú beidh ar an Aire é a chur i ngníomh agus comhlachtaí poiblí a fhorordú le bheith freagrach as na cúramaí nua leagtha síos ann.

Dúirt an Teachta Ó Snodaigh:

“Fáiltíonn Sinn Féin roimh achtú an Bhille seo, ar dheireadh – gheall an tAire go mbeadh sé achtaithe roimh Nollaig na bliana seo caite in áit an Nollaig seo, ach is fearr go mall ná go brách!

“Is léir go raibh fiúntas ag baint leis an bplé sa Choiste Dála agus sa Seanad. Murach gur éirigh linn a chur ina luí ar an Aire Stáit Chambers cé chomh lochtach is a bhí an Bille ag an tús, ní bheadh sé tar éis cúpla scór leasuithe ó Sinn Féin, bunaithe ar mholtaí an phobail labhartha agus eagrais ar nós Conradh na Gaeilge, a ghlacadh agus a chur isteach sa reachtaíocht.

“Toisc brú uainne, tá forálacha sa Bhille chun iachall a chur ar chomhlachtaí poiblí seirbhísí a sholáthar sa Ghaeltacht trí Ghaeilge, ainmneacha agus seoltaí an duine, síntí fada san áireamh, a úsáid i gceart, foirmeacha a sholáthar ar líne i nGaeilge, fógraíocht a dhéanamh trí mheán na Gaeilge agus sna meáin Gaeilge, dualgais teanga a chur ar fhochonraitheoirí tríú páirtí, tuairisciú rialta dhéanamh ar chearta teanga san eagras, agus ainmneacha Gaelacha a bheith orthu.

“B’fhéidir an fhoráil is tábhachtaí atá bainte amach san Acht seo, toisc moltaí Shinn Féin, ná go bhfuil 2030 socraithe mar spriocdháta chun go mbeidh Gaeilge ag 20% d’earcaithe na státsheirbhíse.

“É sin ráite, tá a lán rudaí nach bhfuil sa Bhille go fóill – forálacha a mhol Sinn Féin maidir le cúrsaí oideachais, pleanáil tithíochta sa Ghaeltacht, na meáin cumarsáide, agus na cúirteanna mar shampla – agus tá iomarca amscaíochta i gceist sa bhfoclaíocht dar linn.

“Aithnítear go forleathan go bhfuil géarchéim teangeolaíoch sa Ghaeltacht, agus go bhfuil cur chuige frithGhaelach fós le brath go forleathan sa státsheirbhís atá ag cur iachall ar Ghaeilgeoirí iompú ar an mBéarla.

“Beidh le feiceáil an dtiocfaidh athrú poirt leis an Acht leasuithe seo, nó an mbeidh tuilleadh moilleadóireacht ar bhun ag Fianna Fáil agus Fine Gael, mar a bhí i gcónaí, sula gcosnófar cearta teanga na nGael.”

Languages Bill improved by Sinn Féin, but a change of tune still needed – Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD

Sinn Féin spokesperson on Gaeilge, Gaeltacht, Arts and Culture, Aengus Ó Snodaigh, has stated that a much stronger Official Languages (Amendment) Bill 2019 has been enacted than the Bill as it was published to begin with as a result of pressure from, and amendments proposed by, Sinn Féin, but that a great deal of work remains to be done if the case of the Irish language and the Gaeltacht is to be salvaged.

He was speaking as the final stage of the Bill passed through the Dáil today, after amendments from the Seanad were accepted. The Bill will now go to the President and, following his signature, the onus will be on the Minister to implement it and prescribe public bodies to be responsible for the duties outlined within it.

Teachta Ó Snodaigh said:

“Sinn Féin welcomes the enactment of this Bill, finally – the Minister had promised it would be enacted by last Christmas rather than this Christmas, but better late than never!

“It is clear that the debate in the Dáil Committee and the Seanad was worthwhile. Had we not succeeded in making clear to Minister of State Chambers how flawed the Bill was to begin with, we would not have seen him adopt and enshrine in law several dozen Sinn Féin amendments, based on proposals from the Irish language community and organisations such as Conradh na Gaeilge.

“Thanks to the pressure we exerted, there are now provisions in the Bill that seek to make public bodies provide services in Irish in the Gaeltacht, use a person’s name and address – síneadh fada included – correctly, provide forms online in Irish, conduct advertising in Irish and on Irish language media, impose language duties on third-party subcontractors, conduct regular reporting on language rights in the body, and have Irish language names.

“Perhaps the most important provision in this Act, as a result of Sinn Féin proposals, is that 2030 has been set as the deadline for ensuring 20% of recruits to the public service speak Irish.

“That said, there are many things that were not included in the Bill – provisions proposed by Sinn Féin to do with education, housing planning in the Gaeltacht, media, and courts for example – and the wording remains too vague in our view.

“It is widely recognised that there is a linguistic crisis in the Gaeltacht, and that the anti-Irish language attitude still widespread across the public service is putting pressure on Irish speakers to switch to English.

“It remains to be seen if a change of tune will accompany this amending Act, or if Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael will engage in yet more delay tactics, as was always the case, before the language rights of Gaels are protected.”