Iontas agus díoma ar Éamon Ó Cuiv nach bhfuil Gaeilge líofa ag an Aire nó an Aire Stáit Gaeltachta

Iontas agus díoma ar Éamon Ó Cuiv nach bhfuil Gaeilge líofa ag an Aire nó an Aire Stáit Gaeltachta

Tá iontas agus díomá ar an Teachta Éamon Ó Cuív gur roghnaigh an Taoiseach Aire agus Aire Stait sa Roinn Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta le bheith freagrach as an nGaeltacht agus nach bhfuil Gaeilge líofa ag ceachtar acu.

Duir Éamon Ó Cuív: “Nil aon amhras ach gur daoine breatha iad na hAirí Humphries agus McHugh ach is údar iontais agus masla do phobal na Gaeilge go bhfuil freagracht na Gaeilge leagtha ar dhaoine nach bhfuil liofa sa nGaeilge agus nach mbeidh i dnon a ngnótha laethúla a dhéanamh trí mheán na teanga sin.

“Tar éis an olltoghcháin deireadh rinne an rialtas iosghrádú ar aireacht na Gaeltachta ó aireacht sinsearach go haireacht soisearach. Tá neamhard Fhine Gael agus an Lucht Oibre don Ghaeilge soléir le fada ach tá smear mullaigh curtha air ag an gcinneadh seo nach bhfuil líofacht sa nGaeilge ag ceachtar den Aire Stáit nó an tAire.

“Ba cheart go mbeadh sé mar bunriachtannas go mbeadh Gaeilge líofa ag an té a bheadh freagrach as an nGaeilge agus an Ghaeltacht.  Gan é ní féidir leo a ngnótha dhéanamh go héifeachtach.  Taispéanann an cinneadh seo uair amháin eile neamhard an rialtais i seasamh Bunreachtúil na Gaeilge agus an Straitéis Fiche Bliain . Is masla é do na mílte duine ar fud na tire a labhraíonn an Ghaeilge go laethúil agus go speisialta do lucht na Gaeltachta.

“Fiú ag an am seo d’fheadfadh an Taoiseach an scéal seo a chur ina cheart trí Aire Stáit a cheapadh i mbun Roinn na Gaeltachta a bheadh i ndon a ngnótha a dhéanamh trí Ghaeilge.”

Ó Cuív shocked and deeply disappointed that non- fluent Irish speaker chosen as Minister for Gaeltacht affairs

Fianna Fáil TD Éamon Ó Cuív has expressed shock and disappointment that the Taoiseach has chosen as new Minister for Gaeltacht Affairs someone who is not a fluent speaker of the language.

He commented: “There is no question that Minister Joe McHugh is a person of talent, decency and integrity, but I am genuinely shocked and very disappointed that the Taoiseach has handed responsibility for protection and promotion of our language to someone who is unable to carry out his duties through the medium of Irish.

“Following the last general election, the Government downgraded the position of the Minister for the Gaeltacht to a junior Ministry. Fine Gael and Labour disregard for Irish language policy has now been conclusively proven by the reshuffle with neither senior nor junior Minster at the Department able to conduct official business in Irish.

“Having fluent Irish should be an absolute prerequisite for a Minister with responsibility for the language; without it they cannot adequately carry out their duties in Gaeltacht Affairs. This further shows the total disinterest of the Government for both the constitutional position of the Irish language and the 20-year strategy for the language. This is a slap in the face for the thousands of Irish speakers in the country and particularly for Gaeltacht communities.

“I am calling on the Taoiseach, even at this late stage to rectify this significant error on his part and ensure that at a bare minimum, the incumbent in the office of the Minister for Gaeltacht Affairs is capable of conducting their daily business in the Irish language.