Teanga Beo

national | miscellaneous | press release Wednesday October 29, 2008 00:53 by Gruffalo - Movement for Common Sense

Increasing use of our native tongue

The movement for common sense calls for positive action from the Government to progress the Irish Language.

The recent financial climate has made us wonder if we have lost sight of what our great patriots fought and gifted their lives and their liberty for. While we may have gained the right to Govern the majority of our country, we have appeared to fall short of achieving the objectives of our forefathers. It strikes us that they did not fight for our right to be a country that was not Britain, rather they fought for our right to be Ireland and everything that goes with that. A massive part of this must be our own language.
Too often we have heard Irish people blame Britain for the destruction of the Irish language. While they are certainly to blame for beginning the destruction of our native tongue, they can not be held solely responsible for the current predicament. We have had control over our education system for over 80 years now and Government after Government have failed to act in any convincing manner to improve the state of the language, and increase its usage in modern Irish society. Isn't it time that our Government put the Irish back in Ireland.

The Movement for Common Sense calls for positive action from the Government to progress the Irish Language. These steps should include, but not be limited to:

1. Clear and specific goals for the progression of the Irish language
2. A specific date for when all education shall be delivered through the Irish language
3. The establishment of an Irish-medium University in the Gaeltacht to teach such subjects as Education, Teacher training, Gaeilge, Broadcasting and Journalism etc.
4. Funding for all cultural organisations to be linked to their use of the language. All cultural organisations e.g. G.A.A., and C.C.E., should operate through the Irish language thus providing citizens with extra opportunities and incentives to learn and use the Irish language
5. A specific date for Governance through the Irish language

The Movement for Common Sense always welcomes opinions and advice from other individuals and organisations with an interest in the development of the Irish language.