Tá sé ráite ag Ceannaire Shinn Féin sa Seanad, Niall Ó Donnghaile, gur gá don rialtas a mhíniú cén fáth ar dhiúltaigh siad an fhód a sheasamh ar son cearta Gaeilgeoirí agus a chuid leasuithe ar an mBille um Chearta do Thomhatlóirí.
D’fheabhsódh na leasuithe seo an rochtain ar théacs dátheangach Gaeilge-Béarla ar thairgí agus pacáistiú. Tá polasaí dá leithéad i bhfeidhm cheana féin i dtíortha ar nós Ceanada, áit a bhfuil tairgí Fraincis-Béarla ar fáil.
Ag labhairt um thráthnóna, dúirt an Seanadóir Ó Donnghaile:
“Inniu, mhol mé leasuithe ar an mBille um Chearta do Thomhaltóirí a bheadh mar chéim suntasach chun tosaigh i gcur chun cinn ár dteanga dhúchais, chun í a dhéanamh níos feiceálaí agus níos éasca teacht air do cainteoirí agus foghlaimeoirí.
“Chabhródh na leasuithe le cearta an tomhaltóra teacht ar chomharthaí dátheangach sna siopaí agus ar thairgí. Baineann sé seo le roghanna agus le feiceálacht ár dteanga náisiúnta.
“Dhiúltaigh an rialtas glacadh le mo chuid leasuithe, rud atá millteanach. Sa chinneadh seo, dhiúltaigh siad leasuithe ciallmhara, forásacha a lean leis an deá-chleachtas idirnáisiúnta. Dhiúltaigh siad deis ár teanga náisiúnta a ardú agus a chur chun tosaigh.
“Fud fad an oileáin, tá a lán daoine ag déanamh ceangal leis an teanga mar is léir ón éileamh atá ag fás don oideachas trí mheán na Gaeilge agus ranganna do dhaoine fásta. Tá dúil soiléir ag daoine maireachtáil trí Ghaeilge. Ba chóir go mbeadh an rialtas ag tacú leis an bhforbairt dearfach seo atá ag fás seachas ag déanamh tagairt do lúbanna ar lár chun éalú óna gcuid dualgais. An í príomhtheanga an stáit seo nó nach í?
“Tá díomá orm faoi cur chuige an rialtais maidir leis an chúis seo. Ag gach céim, rinne mé iarracht comhrá a lorg chun deileáil leis na ceisteanna nó buairt atá ag ionadaithe an rialtais. In áit comhoibriú áfach, rinne an rialtas neamhaird ar mo thairiscint na cúiseanna a phlé nó d’fheagair an rialtas go leanfadh siad leis an gcur chuige réamhshocraithe don ábhar. Drochshampla atá ann gur dhiúltaigh siad comhrá.
“Céim measartha sa treo cheart a bheadh sa phacáistiú dhátheangach ar thairgí. Tá an Ghaeilge mar theanga oifigiúil ag an Aontas Eorpach, agus tá a lán fasach le feiceáil ar nós Ceanada agus Tír na mBascach, gur féidir a úsáid mar mhúnla den chineál éacht gur féidir a bhaint amach. Le eisceachtaí réasúnta don pholasaí, am ullmhúcháin féaráilte agus tacaíochtaí do ghnónna, tá muinín agam go dtacóidh agus go bhfáilteoidh gnónna roimh na hathruithe seo mar deis freastal ar riachtanais a gcuid tomhaltóirí.
“Ní mór don rialtas míniú a thabhairt anois do phobal labhartha na Gaeilge cén fáth gur ghlac siad an cinneadh millteanach seo inniu, teip do Ghaeilgeoirí agus a dhéanann praiseach de bhéalghrá an rialtais faoi bheith ag tacú leis an teanga.”
Government must explain refusal to platform Irish language packaging – Seanadóir Niall Ó Donnghaile
Sinn Féin’s Leader in the Seanad Niall Ó Donnghaile has said that the government must explain their refusal to stand up for the rights of Gaeilgeoirí and accept his amendments to the Consumer Rights Bill.
The amendments would have enhanced access to Irish-English bilingual text on products and packaging. Such a policy is already in place in countries including Canada, where consumers can access French-English products.
Speaking this afternoon, Seanadóir Ó Donnghaile said:
“Today I brought forward amendments to the Consumer Rights Bill which would have been an important step forward in promoting our indigenous language, making it more visible and accessible to speakers and learners.
“The amendments would have enhanced consumers’ rights to access bilingual signage in stores and on products. This is about choice and about visibility for our native language.
“Shockingly, the government refused to accept my amendments. In doing so, they rejected sensible, progressive amendments that adhered to international best standards. They rejected an opportunity to platform and promote our national language.
“Across this island, many people are connecting with the language as evidenced in the growing demand for Irish language education and adult classes. There is a clear appetite for people seeking to live their lives through Irish. The government should be supporting this growing, positive development, not citing loopholes to evade their responsibilities. Is this the first language of the state or not?
“I have been disappointed by the government’s approach to this issue. At every stage, I have sought dialogue to iron out any queries or concerns that government representatives may have. However, instead of engaging, my offers to discuss the issues have been ignored or met with government insistence that they will continue with their pre-agreed approach to this issue. This refusal to engage is poor form.
“Bilingual product packaging would be a modest step in the right direction. Irish is an official language of the European Union and there are many precedents including in Canada and the Basque country, which can serve as a template outlining how this can be achieved. Through reasonable exceptions to the policy, a fair lead in time and adequate supports for businesses, I am confident that businesses will support and indeed embrace these changes as an opportunity to meet consumers’ needs.
“The government must now explain to the Irish speaking community why they made this shocking decision today which has failed Gaeilgeoirí and flies in the face of government rhetoric about supporting the language.”
