Toghcháin 2014 | Bileog Eolais & Éileamh na nIarrthóirí | Conradh na Gaeilge

Ceisteanna d’Iarrthóirí na dToghchán Áitiúil:

Ó Thuaidh - Déardaoin, 22 Bealtaine ‘14 Ó Dheas - Dé hAoine, 23 Bealtaine ‘14

Questions for Candidates in the Local Elections:

In the North - Thursday, 22 May ‘14 In the South - Friday, 23 May ‘14

CEIST 1: An Roghnaíonn Tú Todhchaí Dár dTeanga?

Nótaí tábhachtacha ar an gceist gur fiú a chur in iúl sula bhfreagraíonn an t-iarrthóir an cheist seo: • B’fhiú a chur in iúl don iarrthóir sula dtugann siad freagra gur gá gníomh a dhéanamh má roghnaíonn siad todhchaí dár dteanga & go mbeimid ar ais chucu maidir leis an ngníomh • Foilseofar agus scaipfear ainmneacha na n-iarrthóirí ar phobal na Gaeilge agus Gaeltachta a roghnaíonn todhchaí dár dteanga le haitheantas a thabhairt dá dtacaíocht -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------CEIST 2: An bhfuil tú toilteanach seirbhís as Gaeilge a chinntiú do phobal na Gaeilge agus Gaeltachta ar comhchaighdeán leis na seirbhísí as Béarla ón údarás áitiúil? m.sh. iarratais pleanála, seirbhísí tithíochta, srl..

Nótaí eile: • Ó Dheas: An ndéanfaidh an t-iarrthóir cinnte de go gcuirfear coinníoll i ngach conradh le soláthróirí seirbhíse don údarás áitiúil gur gá dóibh seirbhís as Gaeilge a chur ar fáil, m.sh. Comhlachtaí dramhaíola, comhlachtaí seirbhíse (ar nós Dublin Bikes - níor cuireadh aon choinníoll maidir le húsáid na Gaeilge sa chonradh agus ní féidir rothar a ghlacadh ar iasacht anois as Gaeilge) nó eile • Ó Thuaidh: An mbeidh an t-iarrthóir sásta abhcóideacht a dhéanamh go poiblí chun Acht na Gaeilge a reachtú i bParlaimint Westminster le creatlach ceart a bhunú d’fhorbairt na Gaeilge ó thuaidh agus a chinntiú go mbeidh an t-údarás áitiúil ag cur na Gaeilge chun chinn mar atá leagtha amach sa Cheart Eorpach, mar shampla maidir le comharthaí dátheangacha sa cheantar chomhairle bhuirg -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------CEIST 3: Ceist áitiúil – m.sh. maidir le comharthaíocht áitiúil, cóiríocht do ghaelscoileanna nó lárionaid Ghaeilge, tacaíocht an údaráis áitiúil d’imeachtaí phobal na Gaeilge, bunseirbhísí & oifigí lonnaithe sa Ghaeltacht, srl..

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QUESTION 1: Do you choose a future for Irish?

Important notes below that are worth mentioning to the candidate before he/she answers the question: • It is a good idea to inform the candidate before they answer that action must be taken by them if they choose a future for Irish and that we will be back in touch with them about it • We will publish and circulate amongst the Irish language community the names of the candidates that choose a future for Irish to acknowledge their support -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------QUESTION 2: Are you willing to ensure service from the local authority in Irish, to the same standard of services in English, for the Irish language and Gaeltacht community? e.g. planning applications, housing services, etc..

Other notes: • In the South: Will you ensure that there is a condition inserted in to all contracts awarded by the local authority to suppliers of services to the authority that they must provide a service in Irish, e.g. refuse companies, service companies (like Dublin Bikes - no condition was inserted in to the contract and there is no service available to access a bike in Irish) or other.

• In the North: Is the candidate willing to advocate publicly for an Irish Language Act to be enacted in the Westminster Parliament to establish a proper framework to develop the Irish language in the north and ensure that the local authority is promoting the language as laid out in the European Framework, for example with regard to bilingual signage in the borough council area -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------QUESTION 3: Local question – e.g. about local signage, accommodation for gaelscoileanna or Irish language centres, local authority support for Irish community events, basic services and offices based in the Gaeltacht, etc..

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Fíricí ar an nGaeilge do na hiarrthóirí: • Tá beagnach 2 mhilliún duine ar oileán na hÉireann a bhfuil cumas éigin sa Ghaeilge acu • De réir staitisticí, tá: tacaíonn 93% den daonra ó dheas leis an nGaeilge a athbheochan nó a chaomhnú (ESRI & OÉ Magh Nuad ar son Mhichíl Mhic Gréil, 2009); 35% ar son úsáid na Gaeilge ó thuaidh agus 53% ar son deiseanna breise a bheith ag daoine í a fhoghlaim ó thuaidh (Suirbhé Omnibus TÉ); 27% den daonra ó dheas ag tacú leis an nGaeilge mar phríomh-theanga an stáit (Ipsos MRBI ar son an Irish Times) • Tá os cionn 200 gaelscoil idir bhunscoileanna agus mheánscoileanna ar oileán na hÉireann • Tá inmharthanacht na Gaeilge mar theanga phobail sa Ghaeltacht i mbaol (de réir an Staidéar Cuimsitheach Teangeolaíoch ar Úsáid Na Gaeilge sa Ghaeltacht, 2007) • Tá luach eacnamúil leis an nGaeilge don gheilleagar, m.sh. is fiú €6 mhilliún don bhaile / chathair a mbíonn an tOireachtas eagraithe ann; is fiú os cionn €136 milliún an Ghaeilge do gheilleagar na Gaillimhe go bliantúil; is fiú os cionn €20 milliúin na coláistí samhraidh Gaeilge don gheilleagar • Tugann an Ghaeilge buntáistí breise dá lucht labhartha/foghlama, m.sh. bíonn sé níos éasca an tríú agus an ceathrú teanga a shealbhú; bíonn buntáistí cognaíocha ann (i. smaointeoireacht cruthaitheacht, íogaireacht cumarsáide, fadhbanna a réiteach); bíonn léirthuiscint níos fearr ar oidhreacht an oileáin, srl..

Facts about the Irish language for candidates: • Nearly 2 million people on the island of Ireland have some level of Irish • According to statistics: 93% of the population in the south support the revival or preservation of the language (ESRI & NUI Maynooth for Michéal Mac Gréil, 2009); 35% support the use of Irish in the north and 53% support the provision of additional opportunities to learn Irish in the north (NI Omnibus Survey), 27% of the population in the south support Irish as the primary language of the state (Ipsos MRBI for the Irish Times) • There are over 200 gaelscoil, between primary and secondary schools, on the island of Ireland • The viability of Irish as a community language in the Gaeltacht is at risk (according to the Linguistic Study of the Use of Irish in the Gaeltacht, 2007) • Irish has an economic value to the economy, e.g. it’s worth €6 million to the town / city that hosts the Oireachtas (annual Irish-medium festival); it’s worth over €136 million to the economy in Galway annually; the Irish summer colleges are worth over €20 million to the economy • Irish offers additional benefits to its speakers/learners, e.g. It makes it easier to acquire a third and fourth language; there are cognitive benefits (i.e. thinking creatively, sensitivity to communication, problem solving); a better understanding of the heritage of the island, etc.

Ceisteanna d’iarrthóirí Parlaiminte an AE in ‘14:

Ó Thuaidh - Déardaoin, 22 Bealtaine ‘14 Ó Dheas - Dé hAoine, 23 Bealtaine ‘14

Questions for EU Parliamentary Candidates in ‘14:

In the North - Thursday, 22 May ‘14 In the South - Friday, 23 May ‘14

Ceist 1 (a) Má thoghtar mar chomhalta de Pharlaimint na hEorpa tú, an labhróidh tú Gaeilge go rialta agus mar ghnáthchleachtas sa Pharlaimint? nó (b) Muna bhfuil tú compordach le caighdeán do chuid Gaeilge, an gcuirfidh tú feabhas ar do chuid Gaeilge trí ranganna Gaeilge a ghlacadh nó cúrsa féin-foghlaim ar líne a dhéanamh chun a chinntiú go mbeidh do dhóthain Gaeilge agat chun an ionadaíocht chuí a dhéanamh, ach go háirithe do phobal na Gaeilge agus Gaeltachta, i bParlaimint na hEorpa?

Ceist 2 An bhfuil tú sásta a fhógairt go poiblí mar chuid de d’fheachtas toghchánaíochta gur mian leat go ndéanfaí an maolú ar stádas na Gaeilge san Aontas Eorpach a chur ar ceal ag deireadh na bliana 2016? Chun go dtarlódh sé sin, bheadh ar Rialtas na hÉireann a chur in iúl do Chomhairle an Aontais Eorpaigh gan mhoill go bhfuil sé ar intinn aige deireadh an mhaolaithe a mholadh ag cruinniú foirmiúil sa bhliain 2015 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Cúlra: • Aithníodh an Ghaeilge mar theanga oifigiúil den Aontas Eorpach ón 1 Eanáir 2007.

• Cuireadh maolú ar an stádas sin, ar dtús ar feadh tréimhse 5 bliana go dtí deireadh 2011, agus arís go dtí deireadh 2016, ionas nach gá na doiciméid dhlíthiúla ar fad a aistrítear go dtí na teangacha oifigiúla eile a chur ar fáil i nGaeilge. Tugadh easpa saineolaithe Gaeilge mar chúis don mhaolú, ach níl an easpa sin ann a thuilleadh.

• Anuas air sin níl an deis chéanna ag ionadaithe na hÉireann an Ghaeilge a úsáid san Aontas Eorpach de dheasca easpa ateangairí.

• Is faoi Rialtas na hÉireann atá sé a iarraidh go hoifigiúil ar an Aontas Eorpach gan an maolú ar stádas na Gaeilge a athnuachan agus is gá dóibh an cinneadh sin a ghlacadh go luath má tá an feachtas earcaíochta a mbeadh gá leis idir seo agus 2017 le riaradh i gceart.

• Tá daoine á bhfostú ag an Aontas Eorpach faoi láthair (m.sh. tá 10 bpost do dhlítheangeolaithe le líonadh in 2014). Beidh breis is 180 post breise le líonadh roimh 01/01/17 má chuirtear deireadh leis an maolú.

• Glacadh leis an Mháltais mar theanga oifigiúil in 2004 agus d’éirigh leo fáil réidh leis an maolú a bhain leis an teanga sin taobh istigh de 3 bliana Baineadh é seo amach trí chonarthaí sealadacha a thabhairt do go leor saineolaithe Máltaise chun deis a thabhairt dóibh an tríú teanga a shealbhú agus iad ag obair le hinstitiúidí an Aontais. Tá an tríú teanga riachtanach le go bhfaighfeá post buan mar shaineolaí teanga.

Question 1 (a) If you are elected as a Member of the European Parliament, are you willing to speak Irish regularly and as common practice in Parliament? or (b) If you are not comfortable with your own standard of Irish, will you improve upon your level of Irish by taking classes or a self-taught online course so as to ensure that you will have sufficient Irish to appropriately represent, the Irish speaking community especially, in the European Parliament?

Question 2 Are you willing to announce in public as part of your electoral campaign that you wish to have the derogation concerning the status of the Irish language in the European Union ended at the end of the year 2016? In order for that to happen, the Irish Government would need to inform the Council of the European Union, without delay, that it intends to propose the ending of the derogation at a formal meeting to be held in 2015.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Background: • Irish became an official language of the European Union on 1 January 2007.

• A derogation was implemented regarding that status, initially for a period of 5 years until the end of 2011, and again until the end of 2016, so that not all of the legal documents which must be translated to the other official languages have to be made available in Irish. A shortage of Irish language experts was given as the reason. That shortage no longer exists.

• In addition representatives from Ireland don’t have the same opportunity to use Irish in the European Union due to a lack of interpreters.

• It is up to the Irish Government to officially submit a request to the European Union not to renew the derogation, and they need to take that decision soon if a recruitment campaign is to be properly administered between now and 2017 • People are being employed by the EU at present (e.g. 10 posts for Irish-language lawyer linguists are to be filled in 2014). There will, however, be more than 180 additional jobs by 01/01/17 if the derogation is ended.

• Maltese was adopted as an official language in 2004, and they were successful in removing the derogation relating to the language within 3 years. This was achieved by giving temporary contracts to many Maltese experts to facilitate them learning a third language while working in EU institutions. The third language is necessary to obtain a permanent job as a language expert.

Cé na buntáistí breise a bheidh ann d’Éirinn má chealaítear an maolú ar stádas na Gaeilge san AE? • Bheadh an Ghaeilge ar chomhchéim le gach ceann eile den 24 teanga oifigiúil san Aontas Eorpach, Máltais, Eastóinis agus Laitvis ina measc.

• Chuirfí 183 post ar ardluach ar fáil idir seo agus 2017 (103 aistritheoir, 32 dlítheangeolaí, 42 rúnaithe agus 6 ceann aonaid) gan aon chostas ar Rialtas na hÉireann.

• Bheadh buntáiste fadtéarmach maidir le tionchar na hÉireann san Aontas Eorpach de réir mar a rachadh líon áirithe de na daoine seo ar aghaidh go dtí poist a bhaineann le réimsí polasaí san Aontas Eorpach.

• Chuirfeadh sé le stádas na Gaeilge in Éirinn, thuaidh agus theas, agus leis an íomhá den teanga sa phobal, ach go háirithe i measc daoine óga in aois scoile agus ag an tríú leibhéil.

What additional benefits would arise for Ireland with the ending of the derogation on the status of Irish in the EU? • Irish would be on a par with each of the other 24 official languages in the European Union, including Maltese, Estonian and Latvian.

• 183 high value jobs would be made available between now and 2017 (103 translators, 32 lawyer linguists, 42 secretaries and 6 unit heads) at no cost to the Government of Ireland.

• There would be a long-term benefit on the influence of Ireland in the European Union, as a certain proportion of these people would go on to jobs with responsibility for policy areas in the European Union.

• It would improve the status of Irish and the image of the language in the community in Ireland, especially amongst young people of school age and at third level.