Tá fáilte curtha ag urlabhraí Shinn Féin don Ghaeilge, Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD, agus do na Meáin, Imelda Munster TD, roimh nuacht an lae inniu go mbeidh comhionannas pá bronnta ar oibrithe Raidió na Gaeltachta i gcomhréir lena gcomhghleacaithe Béarla in RTÉ.

D’fhógair ArdStiúrthóir RTÉ, Kevin Bakhurst, inniu go ndéanfar, as mí Mheán Fómhair amach, an trí ghráid Gaeilge ag Raidió na Gaeltachta a thabhairt i gcomhréir le gráid reatha in RTÉ.

Dúirt an Teachta Ó Snodaigh:
“Is dul chun cinn an-suntasach é seo do oibrithe Gaeilge ag Raidió na Gaeltachta. Is de thoradh ar na blianta fada feachtasaíochta ag Ceardchumann Náisiúnta na nIriseoirí, an CSTGT agus Grúpa Ceardchumainn RTÉ agus ba mhaith liom tréaslú leo as an nuacht seo.

“Ní chóir go mbeadh muid tagtha chun an staid seo riamh. Ní raibh an ArdStiúrthóir deireanach fiú sásta a aithint go raibh fadhb anseo le réiteach, agus cuireadh iachall ar oibrithe agus a gceardchumainn na blianta a chaitheamh ag troid chun an éileamh is bunúsaí a bhaint amach: an pá céanna don obair céanna. In a lán cásanna, bíonn níos mó obair i gceist chun aschur ar ardchaighdeán a sheachadadh trí Ghaeilge, ach in áit aitheantas a fháil don iarracht breise, cuireadh píonós ar na hoibrithe.”

“Bunaíodh Raidió na Gaeltachta díreach os cionn leathchéad bliain ó shin mar fhreagra ar ghluaiseacht chearta sibhialta na Gaeltachta ag lorg cothrom na Féinne agus meas. Ní mór do RTÉ a chinntiú go bhfógraítear ní hamháin deireadh leis an leithcheal ar oibrithe Gaeilge le nuacht an lae inniu, ach athrú meoin sa chraoltóir i dtreo glacadh faoi dheireadh lena ndualgais seirbhís dhátheangach a sholáthar don phobal agus glacadh go bródúil lenár dteanga náisiúnta.”

Dúirt an Teachta Munster:

“Táimid ag fanacht air seo le fada. Tá sé dochreidte gur lean an chás seo ar aghaidh in RTÉ chomh fada sin, ach de thairbhe tiomantas na n-ionadaithe oibre tá an ceist réitithe faoi dheireadh agus táim ar bís dóibh siúd go léir a bhí thíos leis go mbeidh comhionannas pá acu sa deireadh thiar thall.

“Táim féin agus mo chomhghleacaithe Sinn Féin tar éis na blianta a chaitheamh ag feachtasaíocht i dtaca leis na n-oibrithe maidir leis an ábhar seo, le déanaí agus mé tar éis an ábhar a chur san áireamh i dtuarascáil an Chomhchoiste Oireachtais maidir le “Pleananna samhlacha gnó don todhchaí agus fís fhadtéarmach d’earnáil na mean”, le tacaíocht ó chomhaltaí eile den choiste.

“Tá na meáin Gaeilge lárnach i dtírdhreach mean na tíre agus ní mór dúinn a chinntiú go dtacaítear leo siúd atá ag obair san earnáil an obair sin a dhéanamh. Tá ról ríthábhachtach ag Raidió na Gaeltachta, agus a gcuid oibrithe tar éis núálaíocht, ilchumas agus díogras a léiriú.

“Ba mhaith liom tréaslú freisin leis na hoibrithe inniu ar an dul chun cinn suntasach seo.”

Pay-parity for Raidió na Gaeltachta workers is a welcome development – Ó Snodaigh and Munster

Sinn Féin Spokesperson for Gaeilge Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD and Spokesperson for Media Imelda Munster TD have welcomed the announcement that workers at Raidió na Gaeltachta will be awarded pay parity with their English-language counterparts at RTÉ.

Kevin Bakhurst, Director General at RTÉ announced today that as of September, RTÉ will bring the three Irish language grades at Raidió na Gaeltachta, Clár Reachtaire, Reachtaire Rúnaíochta Grade 1 and Reachtaire Rúnaíochta Grade 2, into line with existing grades at RTÉ.

Deputy Ó Snodaigh said:

“This is a very important development for Irish language workers at Raidió na Gaeltachta. This change is the result of many years of campaigning by the NUJ, SIPTU and the RTÉ Group of Unions and I would like to congratulate them on this news.

“It should never have come to this. The previous Director General refused to acknowledge this was even a problem that needed solving, and workers and their unions were forced to fight for years for the most basic demand of equal pay for equal work. In many cases more work is involved to deliver high quality output through Irish, yet rather than being rewarded for their efforts the workers were penalised.”

“Raidió na Gaeltachta was founded just over half a century ago in response to a Gaeltacht civil rights movement that demanded fair treatment and respect. RTÉ must ensure today’s announcement marks an end not only to discrimination against Irish language workers, but also a culture shift at the broadcaster towards finally accepting its obligation to provide a bilingual service to the public and embracing our national language with pride.”

Deputy Munster said:

“This has been a long time coming. It’s unbelievable that this situation lingered on at RTÉ for so long, but the determination of the workers’ representatives has seen this situation finally resolved and I’m delighted for those affected that they will finally have pay parity.

“My Sinn Féin colleagues and I have been campaigning in support of the workers for many years on this matter, most recently when I succeeded in having the matter included in the Joint Oireachtas Committee report “Future Business Model Plans and Long-Term Vision for the Media Sector”, supported by other members of the committee.

“Irish language media is central to our media landscape and we must ensure that those working in the sector are supported in their work. Raidió na Gaeltachta plays a very important role, and its workers have proven to be innovative, versatile and hard-working.

“I would also like to congratulate the workers today on this important development.”