Galway West – South Mayo Senator, Trevor Ó Clochartaigh, says that a more open and democratic Údarás na Gaeltachta became a step closer in the Seanad this week with the passing at second stage of a Sinn Féin bill to return the direct elections back to the board of the authority.
Speaking after government efforts to stymie the proposal were defeated, the Sinn Féin spokesperson for the Irish Language and the Gaeltacht says:
“We told the government that the removal of direct elections to the board of Údarás na Gaeltachta was a retrograde step when introduced in 2011, but the Fine Gael/Labour coalition railroaded ahead with the changes anyway and put the nomination process under the auspices of the local authorities.
“This week has shown that this situation is hugely problematic, with political wrangling in Galway and Donegal county councils over who should be nominated.
“Our bill will return the power to the people and allow Gaeltacht residents to elect their own representatives directly to the board. We believe that this will increase support for the organisation in those Gaeltacht communities and we would hope that this would be matched with a badly needed increase in resources for the cash strapped development body from the government in this and subsequent budgets.
“We need to reimagine and refocus Údarás na Gaeltachta to deliver on the vision of the Gaeltacht Civil Rights Movement which pushed for its setup, to foster economic prosperity and create jobs which would support the language and the residents of Gaeltacht communities.
“I hope that we can progress the bill through the Seanad quickly and that the government won’t try to block our efforts, which had support from all other political groups in the Seanad”.
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Deir Seanadóir Ghaillimh Thiar – Maigh Eo Theas, Trevor Ó Clochartaigh, gur tógadh céim chun cinn chuig Údarás Gaeltachta níos daonlathaí agus níos trédhearcaí sa Seanad an tseachtain seo nuair a glacadh ag an dara céim le bille ó Shinn Féin a thabharfadh ar ais na toghcháin dhíreacha chuig bord an údarás forbartha seo.
Ag labhairt dó i ndiaidh don Rialtas teip ina gcuid iarrachtaí chun an bhille a stopadh, deir urlabhraí Gaeilge & Gaeltacht Shinn Féin:
“Dúirt muid leis an Rialtas i 2011 gur céim ar gcúl a bhí sna leasuithe chun na toghcháin dhíreacha chuig bord an Údaráis a chur ar ceal, ach lean comhrialtas Fhine Gael & an Lucht Oibre ar aghaidh leis na h-athruithe ar aon chuma agus chuir siad an phróiseas ainmniúcháin faoi scáth na h-údaráis áitiúla.
“Léiríodh na deacrachtaí leis an gcur chuige nua an tseachtain seo leis an raic pholaitiúil a tarraingíodh i gComhairlí Chontae na Gaillimhe agus Dún na nGall maidir le cé ba chóir ainmniúchán a thabhairt dóibh.
“Tabharfaidh bille s’againne an chumhacht ar ais don phobal, mar go gceadófar do mhuintir na Gaeltachta a gcuid ionadaithe féin a thoghadh díreach chuig an bhord. Creideann muid go gcuirfidh sé seo le tacaíocht an phobail don eagraíocht sna ceantair Ghaeltachta céanna agus bheadh muid ag súil go dtabharfaidh an Rialtas aitheantas i gcomhréir, ó thaobh acmhainní breise agus ardú maoinithe a chur ar fáil chomh maith don Údarás sa bhuiséad seo agus sna blianta atá le theacht.
“Ní mór dúinn athshamhlú agus fócas as an nua a thabhairt ar chúraimí Údarás na Gaeltachta leis an bhfís a bhí ag lucht Cearta Sibhialta na Gaeltachta a fhíorú, mar go rabhadar ag iarraidh na ceantair Ghaeltachta a chur chun cinn ó thaobh na h-eacnamaíochta de agus fostaíocht oiriúnach a chruthú do bhunú an cheantair.
“Tá súil agam go n-éireoidh linn an bhille a thabhairt tríd gach céim sa Seanad go sciopaí agus nach mbeidh an Rialtas ag iarraidh constaicí a chur roimh na h-iarrachtaí atá ar bun againn, a raibh tacaíocht ó na grúpaí polaitiúla eile sa Seanad ar fad acu”.
Speaking after government efforts to stymie the proposal were defeated, the Sinn Féin spokesperson for the Irish Language and the Gaeltacht says:
“We told the government that the removal of direct elections to the board of Údarás na Gaeltachta was a retrograde step when introduced in 2011, but the Fine Gael/Labour coalition railroaded ahead with the changes anyway and put the nomination process under the auspices of the local authorities.
“This week has shown that this situation is hugely problematic, with political wrangling in Galway and Donegal county councils over who should be nominated.
“Our bill will return the power to the people and allow Gaeltacht residents to elect their own representatives directly to the board. We believe that this will increase support for the organisation in those Gaeltacht communities and we would hope that this would be matched with a badly needed increase in resources for the cash strapped development body from the government in this and subsequent budgets.
“We need to reimagine and refocus Údarás na Gaeltachta to deliver on the vision of the Gaeltacht Civil Rights Movement which pushed for its setup, to foster economic prosperity and create jobs which would support the language and the residents of Gaeltacht communities.
“I hope that we can progress the bill through the Seanad quickly and that the government won’t try to block our efforts, which had support from all other political groups in the Seanad”.
________________________
Deir Seanadóir Ghaillimh Thiar – Maigh Eo Theas, Trevor Ó Clochartaigh, gur tógadh céim chun cinn chuig Údarás Gaeltachta níos daonlathaí agus níos trédhearcaí sa Seanad an tseachtain seo nuair a glacadh ag an dara céim le bille ó Shinn Féin a thabharfadh ar ais na toghcháin dhíreacha chuig bord an údarás forbartha seo.
Ag labhairt dó i ndiaidh don Rialtas teip ina gcuid iarrachtaí chun an bhille a stopadh, deir urlabhraí Gaeilge & Gaeltacht Shinn Féin:
“Dúirt muid leis an Rialtas i 2011 gur céim ar gcúl a bhí sna leasuithe chun na toghcháin dhíreacha chuig bord an Údaráis a chur ar ceal, ach lean comhrialtas Fhine Gael & an Lucht Oibre ar aghaidh leis na h-athruithe ar aon chuma agus chuir siad an phróiseas ainmniúcháin faoi scáth na h-údaráis áitiúla.
“Léiríodh na deacrachtaí leis an gcur chuige nua an tseachtain seo leis an raic pholaitiúil a tarraingíodh i gComhairlí Chontae na Gaillimhe agus Dún na nGall maidir le cé ba chóir ainmniúchán a thabhairt dóibh.
“Tabharfaidh bille s’againne an chumhacht ar ais don phobal, mar go gceadófar do mhuintir na Gaeltachta a gcuid ionadaithe féin a thoghadh díreach chuig an bhord. Creideann muid go gcuirfidh sé seo le tacaíocht an phobail don eagraíocht sna ceantair Ghaeltachta céanna agus bheadh muid ag súil go dtabharfaidh an Rialtas aitheantas i gcomhréir, ó thaobh acmhainní breise agus ardú maoinithe a chur ar fáil chomh maith don Údarás sa bhuiséad seo agus sna blianta atá le theacht.
“Ní mór dúinn athshamhlú agus fócas as an nua a thabhairt ar chúraimí Údarás na Gaeltachta leis an bhfís a bhí ag lucht Cearta Sibhialta na Gaeltachta a fhíorú, mar go rabhadar ag iarraidh na ceantair Ghaeltachta a chur chun cinn ó thaobh na h-eacnamaíochta de agus fostaíocht oiriúnach a chruthú do bhunú an cheantair.
“Tá súil agam go n-éireoidh linn an bhille a thabhairt tríd gach céim sa Seanad go sciopaí agus nach mbeidh an Rialtas ag iarraidh constaicí a chur roimh na h-iarrachtaí atá ar bun againn, a raibh tacaíocht ó na grúpaí polaitiúla eile sa Seanad ar fad acu”.
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