Encouraging the everyday use of Irish will ensure it survives as a living language
Fewer than 4pc of the social media posts from most government departments are in Irish, according to Social Democrats TD Holly Cairns.
Deputy Cairns said:
“Each government department has its own social media channels on various platforms, so one would expect regular posts in Irish from these accounts.
“However, when I submitted parliamentary questions to various departments, querying the quantity of both Irish and bilingual social media posts over the past year, I was extremely disappointed by the replies.
“In most cases, fewer than 4pc of posts were either in Irish or bilingual and two departments – Social Protection and Further and Higher Education – had none.
“Just 0.5pc of the 1,223 Twitter posts from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment were in Irish. Meanwhile, just 0.28pc posts, across all of the social media channels of the Department of the Environment, were in Irish. The Department of Finance could not even provide a figure.
“It should be acknowledged that the Department of Education is an outlier. 44pc of its tweets were bilingual while 40pc of its Facebook posts were available in Irish. The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media also fared better than most. It confirmed that departmental posts relating to the Gaeltacht, or the Irish language, are always posted in Irish.
“While a number of Ministers assured me they would improve their level of social media communication in Irish, others gave little indication there were any plans to improve – or, indeed, any perceived problem.
“Contrast these low numbers with social media from Welsh government departments, which have nearly 50pc Welsh or bilingual posts. It is a central element of their communications policy for all posts to be in both Welsh and English.
“I must confess, I am one of those people with very poor Irish who wants to learn more. When we lose our language we lose a part of our culture.
“Encouraging the everyday use of Irish will ensure it survives as a living language. Consequently, social media is an obvious tool to employ if the government wishes to boost the use of the Irish language.
“The use of Irish or bilingual social media posts are not just for fluent Irish-speakers – it’s about fostering an environment in which the public is helped, and encouraged, to improve and use our Irish.
“I would hope the results of this survey are a wake-up call for government and their use of the Irish language when communicating with the public – in every fora – improves.
31 May, 2021
Ends
Cinnteoidh moladh úsáid laethúil na Gaeilge go mairfidh sí mar theanga bheo
Tá níos lú ná 4% de phostálacha mheáin shóisialta trí Ghaeilge ón gcuid is mó de rannóga an rialtais, dar le TD na nDaonlathaithe Sóisialta, Holly Cairns.
Arsa Cairns:
“Tá próifílí mheáin shósialta ag gach roinn rialtais ar árdáin áirithe, agus mar sin, bheifear ag súil le postálacha rialta i nGaeilge ó na cuntais seo.
“Nuair a chuir mé ceisteanna parlaiminte ar roinnt rannóg, áfach, maidir le postálacha as Gaeilge nó dátheangacha thar an mbliain seo thart – ó 1 Bealtaine 2020 go 30 Aibreán 2021 – bá mhór an díomá a bhí orm toisc na bhfreagraí a fuair mé.
“Don chuid is mó, bhí níos lú ná 4% de na postálacha go dátheangach nó as Gaeilge, agus ní raibh faic curtha amach ag dhá rannóg: An Roinn um Chosaint Shóisialta agus an Roinn Breisoideachais & Ardoideachais.
“Ní raibh ach 0.5% as 1,223 tweets ón Roinn Fiontair, Trádála agus Fostaíochta trí Ghaeilge. Idir an dá linn, ní raibh ach 0.28% de phostálacha ar aon árdán mheáin shóisialta foilsithe i nGaeilge ón Roinn Chomhshaoil. Níorbh fhéidir leis an Roinn Airgeadais figiúr d’aon shaghas a chur ar fáil.
“Ba cheart a rá gur cás faoi leith atá ann leis an Roinn Oideachais. Bhí 44% dá chuid tweets go dátheangach, araon le 40% dá chuid postálacha ar Facebook. D’éirigh go maith leis an Roinn Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíona, Gaeltachta, Spóirt, agus na Meán; chinntigh siad go bhfuil aon phostáil Roinne maidir leis an nGaeltacht nó an Ghaeilge í féin curtha amach as Gaeilge.
“Cé gur gheall roinnt Aire dom go gcuirfidh siad feabhas ar an méid cumarsáide trí Ghaeilge ar a gcuid meán sóisialta, ba bheag an méid iarrachta céanna a bhí geallta ag roinnt eile maidir leis, nó dá gcuirfidís feabhas ar an gcás.
“Déan comparáid idir na figiúirí ísle seo agus na meáin shóisialta ó rannóga Rialtas na Breataine Bige, a bhfuil leath na bpostálacha curtha amach acu as Breatnais nó go dátheangach. Is cuid lárnach dá bheartas cumarsáide ná go bhfoilseofar gach postáil as Breatnais agus Béarla araon.
“Caithim a admháil, táimse féin ar cheann de na daoine siúd a bhfuil Gaeilge lag acu, ach ar mhaith leo níos mó a fhoghlaim. Nuair a chailleann muid ár dteanga, cailltear cuid dár gcultúr.
“Cinnteoidh moladh úsáid laethúil na Gaeilge go mairfidh sí mar theanga bheo. Mar sin, uirlis shoiléir atá ann sna meáin shóisialta lena húsáid má tá sé i gceist ag an Rialtas úsáid na Gaeilge a mhéadú.
“Nil úsáid na Gaeilge ar na meáin shóisialta nó postálacha dátheangacha ann ar son na gcainteoirí líofa amháin, áfach – baineann sé le hatmaisféar a chruthú ionas go mbeadh an mórphobal fiosrach agus ábalta chun a gcuid Gaeilge a úsáid agus a fheabhsú.
“Tá súil agam go bhfuil torthaí an tsuirbhé seo ina rabhadh don rialtas; go ndéanfaidh siad iarracht níos fearr amach anseo agus iad ag úsáid na Gaeilge i gcumarsáid leis an bpobal – i ngach aon fhóram.
31 Bealtaine, 2021
DEIREADH