Tá sé molta ag urlabhraí Gaeilge, Gaeltachta, Ealaíon agus Cultúir Shinn Féin, Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD go ndéanfaidh an tAire Airgeadais Michael McGrath TD cosaint ar chearta Gaeilgeoirí uathmheaisín bainc a úsáid ina dteanga féin sa Bhille um Rochtain ar Airgead Tirim.

Dúirt an Teachta Ó Snodaigh:

“Is maith an rud é go bhfuil an tAire McGrath tar éis éisteacht le moladh an fhreasúra maidir le cearta an duine airgead tirim a úsáid a chosaint, rud atá curtha chun cinn go láidir ag FPE Shinn Féin Chris MacManus ag leibhéal na hEorpa.

“Bíonn pobail fud fad na hÉireann ag brath ar UMBanna níos mó anois ná ariamh tar éis gur dúnadh an oiread sin seirbhísí bainc áitiúil le blianta beaga anuas.

“Tá sé tábhachtach, áfach, agus muid ag cosaint cearta an duine UMB a úsáid go ndéanann muid cosaint ar chearta úsáideoirí labhartha Gaeilge chomh maith leo siúd a labhraíonn teangacha eile. Ba chóir go ndéanfadh an teicneolaíocht an saol níos éasca dúinn go léir, ár bpobail Gaeltachta agus labhartha Gaeilge, agus foghlaimeoirí, san áireamh, seachas iad a bhrú i dtreo Béarla a úsáid más mian leo seirbhísí bunúsacha a fháil.

“Sna blianta thart, rinneadh iarrachtaí chun a chinntiú go ndearna na meaisín seo freastal ar Ghaeilgeoirí, ach leis na blianta beaga anuas tá meath sonraithe againn ar an dul chun cinn seo. Áit a bhí UMBanna de chuid Banc na hÉireann ag soláthar rogha Gaeilge agus a seirbhísí fisiciúla do chustaiméirí ag freastal ar Ghaeilgeoirí, go háirithe i gceantair Gaeltachta, feictear anois bráinsí áitiúla á dhúnadh agus Béarla amháin a shocrú ar UMBanna.

“Déanann a lán UMBanna ar fud na tíre seirbhísí ilteangach a sholáthar, i bPolainnis, Fraincis, agus Spáinnis mar shampla, ach gan rogha ar bith inár dteanga náisiúnta, aitheanta sa Bhunreacht mar phríomhtheanga oifigiúil an stáit.

“Tá Sinn Féin ag impiú ar an Aire McGrath a chinntiú go gcuireann gach UMB rogha Gaeilge ar fáil ar chomhchaighdeán leis an mBéarla.

“Is riachtanas é seirbhísí a sholáthar i nGaeilge más mian linn cur i gcoinne meath na teanga sa Ghaeltacht. Cabhróidh sé le normalú agus spreagadh na teanga i measc iad siúd nach n-úsáidtear í cheana féin iad a chumhachtadh an Ghaeilge a úsáid i gnáthchomhthéacs laethúil ar nós UMB, áit gur féidir leo dul i dtaithí le bunthéarmaí ar bhealach idirghabhálach.

“Muna dhéanann Bille an Aire McGrath deileáil leis an ábhar seo, cuirfidh Sinn Féin an leasú is gá chun cinn nuair a thagann sé os comhair na Dála. Tá súil againn áfach go nglacfaidh an Rialtas leis an athrú beag a theastódh sula sroichimid an céim sin.”

Access to Cash Bill must ensure Irish option on ATMs – Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD

Sinn Féin spokesperson for Gaeilge, Gaeltacht, Arts and Culture, Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD, has called on the Minister for Finance Michael McGrath TD to ensure that the Access to Cash Bill will protect the right of Irish speakers to use ATMs in their own language.

Teachta Ó Snodaigh said:

“It is welcome news that Minister McGrath has listened to opposition calls to protect peoples’ right to cash, a cause that Sinn Féin MEP Chris MacManus has been spearheading at European level.

“Communities across Ireland rely on their ATMs more than ever with the closure of so many local banking services in recent years.

“It is important, however, that in protecting the right to use ATMs, we are protecting the rights of Irish-speaking users as well as users in other languages. Technology should make life easier for all, including our Gaeltacht and Irish language communities and learners alike, rather than push them to use English if they want basic services.

“In years gone by, efforts were made to ensure such machines served Irish speakers, but in recent years we have seen such progressive developments rowed back. Where Bank of Ireland ATMs once offered an Irish language option and their in-store customer service catered to Gaeilgeoirí, particularly in Gaeltacht areas, we now see local branches being closed and ATMs being made English-only.

“Many ATMs across the country offer services in multiple languages, be it Polish, French or Spanish, but no option in our national language, recognised in the Constitution as the state’s first official language.

“Sinn Féin is calling on Minister McGrath to ensure that every ATM must offer an Irish language option of equal quality to the English.

“Providing services in Irish is a necessary step to stemming the decline of Irish in Gaeltacht communities. Empowering learners to use Irish in an everyday context like an ATM, where they can become familiar with basic terms in an interactive manner, is a way to normalise and encourage use of Irish beyond existing users.

“If the Bill Minister McGrath produces does not address this issue, Sinn Féin will table the necessary amendment as it comes before the Dáil. We hope, however, that Government will make the small change needed before it gets to that stage.”