http___www.pobal.org_gaeilge_news_caithfidh-westminster-gniomh-ar-an-acht-ach-ba-cheart-do-phobal-na-gaeilge-diultiu-do-mholtai-an-achta-ma-ta-siad-ro-lag__1.xml
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POBAL, the independent Irish language advocacy group has said that if the current talks fail, Westminster must introduce Irish language legislation. However, the group is urging Irish language organisations and Irish speakers to reject any future proposals for an Irish language Act if they are too weak to meet the needs of the community. Speaking before the deadline to the political talks process, Janet Muller, POBAL’s Director said, ‘Politicians who support the introduction of legislation must stand firm in the knowledge that the Irish speaking community will not be satisfied with tokenism, however well intentioned. Weak legislation would only lead to confusion and frustration and we call on the Irish speaking community to send out a clear message that we have waited long enough to be taken seriously.’ Today (Monday) Irish speakers will gather at Stormont at an event organised by protest group An Dream Dearg, to call once more for an Irish language Act. Janet Muller said, ‘This issue is now outstanding for 10 years. Recently, there have been several discussion papers and costings published by politicians and others and we welcome this further debate on the Irish language Act. However, POBAL has been concerned to see that some of these documents leave out key areas, propose weak solutions to complex issues, and project the costs of the act at what may be unrealistically low levels. The Irish language act must represent good value for public money, but this can only be measured by cost-benefit analysis looking at the advantages and potential of the legislation to generate wealth and improve services for all.’ She continued, ‘POBAL has consistently called for the implementation of our comprehensive, realistic and reasonable proposals for Irish language legislation as the basis of any act. This is because these proposals have been drafted with continuing advice from some of the world’s foremost experts in language law. They have been the subject of numerous community discussions and in government-led consultations, they have consistently been given exceptional levels of support by Irish speakers themselves. Getting agreement to implement the St Andrews commitment on Irish language legislation is only the start of what may be a lengthy process of discussion, debate and negotiation. If the bar is set too low at this stage, it will be much more difficult to achieve effective legislation which will create a significant number of guaranteed rights and services and clarify for government bodies what they need to do and when. And let’s face it, anything else will be a waste of time which will create more friction than it resolves. Irish speakers should reject weak proposals and Westminster must act now.’
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Dúirt POBAL, eagras neamhspleách abhcóideachta gur cheart do Westminster Acht na Gaeilge a thabhairt isteach má theipeann ar na cainteanna, ach gur chóir d’eagrais Gaeilge agus do lucht labhartha na teanga diúltiú do mholtaí reachtaíochta as seo amach mura bhfuil siad láidir go leor le riachtanais an phobail a shásamh. Ag caint roimh spiocam réitithe na cainteanna polaitiúla, dúirt Janet Muller, Stiúrthóir POBAL, ‘Ba chóir do na polaiteoirí atá ar son an achta an fód a sheasamh agus fios acu nach nglacfaidh pobal na Gaeilge le sop in áit na scuaibe, is cuma faoi cé acu atá dea thoil taobh thiar dó nó nach bhfuil. Chuireadh reachtaíocht lag le frustrachas agus le doiléireacht, agus glaonn muid ar phobal na Gaeilge teachtaireacht láidir a chur amach – d’fhan muid fada go leor. Is mithid anois muid a ghlacadh go dáirire. ‘ Inniu (Dé Luain) beidh Gaeil ag teacht le chéile arís at Stormont ag ócáid de chuid an grúpa feachtasaíochta, An Dream Dearg, le hAcht na Gaeilge a éilimh arís. Dúirt Janet Muller, ‘Caithfidh Westminster a ghealltanas a chomhlíonadh, bealach amháin nó bealach eile. Ar na mallaibh, foilsíodh cúpla phléchaipéis agus costais ag polaiteoirí agus grúpaí eile nach iad, agus fáiltíonn muid roimh an díospóireacht seo ar an acht. Ach, cuireann sé imní orainn feiceáil go bhfuil ceisteanna thábhachtacha fágtha as an áireamh i roinnt do na caipéisí sin, go bhfuil réitigh lag curtha chun tosaigh ar fhadhbanna casta, agus go bhfuil costais an achta á dtomhais ar bhealach atá b’fhéidir míréadúil. Caithfidh caiteachas ar Acht na Gaeilge luach ar airgead poiblí a léiriú, dar ndóigh, ach ní feidir seo a thomhais trí bhunchostais amháin. Tá níos mó i gceist le reachtaíocht Gaeilge ná hairgead agus caithfear cur san áireamh go dtig leis an teanga maoin a shaothrú agus seirbhísí níos fear do chách a chruthú.’ Lean sí, ‘Go leanúnach, d’éilimh POBAL gur cheart an tAcht a bhunú ar mholtaí réadúil, réasúnta POBAL, a d’fhoilsigh muid sa doiciméad, ‘Acht na Gaeilge TÉ Eis II’. Sin de bhrí go bhfuil na moltaí seo curtha le chéile le comhairle leanúnach ó na saineolaithe is iomráitigh sa domhain ar dhlíthe teanga agus go raibh siad comhaontaithe le pobal na Gaeilge thar sraith de phróisis comhairliúcháin ag leibhéal an phobail agus i gcomhairliúcháin rialtais, nuair a thacaigh freagróirí go sonrach leo arís is arís eile. Teacht ar chomhaontú gealltanas Chill Rimhinn a chur i bhfeidhm, sin an chéad chéim i bpróiseas i dtreo achta a dtiocfadh mairstean tamall fada de dhíospóireachtaí agus idirbheartaíocht polaitiúil. Má cuirtear chun tosaigh moltaí lag ag an tús, beidh sé i bhfad níos deacra acht fiúntach a bhaint amach ag an deireadh. Níl acht lag de dhíth ar phobal na Gaeilge agus ba chóir diúltiú do mholtaí nach bhfuil ionchurtha lenár gcuid riachtanais a chomhlíonadh.’