e Ardrúnaí of Conradh na Gaeilge, Julian De Spáinn spoke on Drivetime on RTÉ Radio One about the radical changes needed from government to sustain Irish speakers and Gaeltacht areas in the future.
De Spáinn says the government should more than double its investment in the Irish language and the Gaeltacht in this year's budget. An Plean Fáis has been supported by more than 130 other organisations. It is clear from data collected in the last decade that there are fewer daily Irish speakers in Gaeltacht regions and outside the Gaeltacht.
Deir De Spáinn go léiríonn an laghdú i gcainteoirí laethúla Gaeilge nach bhfuil go leor á dhéanamh ag an rialtas seo agus nach bhfuil an plean ag feidhmiú mar ba chóir. Molann sé go mbeadh an plean nua seo An Plean Fáis níos radacúla agus níos uaillmhianaí le stop a chur leis an dochar atá á dhéanamh don teanga ó bhliain go bliain.
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If the government doubled their funding of the Gaeltacht and Irish speakers, De Spáinn says it would provide opportunities for those who would attend Gaeltacht courses to do so via scholarships as currently many cannot afford this valuable opportunity.
De Spáinn suggests we need to follow the lead of how the Welsh people have approached their language and its challenges, 'we need a bigger ambition' instead of coasting along acknowledging the gradual loss of the language.
Deir Conradh na Gaeilge
"Tá gá anois le plean nua a thógann ar na héilimh agus ar na torthaí ón chéad phlean infheistíochta. Caitheann an plean nua súil chun tosaigh ar méid atá de dhíth don Ghaeilge agus don Ghaeltacht sna blianta amach romhainn. Tá sé ina aidhm ag an phlean seo dul i ngleic le heaspa uaillmhéine agus le heaspa maoinithe i leith na teanga, is a bheith ina uirlis le todhchaí níos fearr don Ghaeilge is don Ghaeltacht a bhaint amach."
Deir Ardrúnaí Chonradh na Gaeilge go bhfuil tacaíocht ann sa phobal do leithéid de phlean agus go gcabhródh an Plean Fáis leis an tír dul i ngleic le fadhbanna eile a bhaineann le tithíocht agus eile.
Má tá breis eolais uait ar an Plean Fáis, féach anseo.
