[English below]
Chuir MLA People Before Profit in Iarthar Bhéal Feirste, Gerry Carroll, samhnas s’aige in iúl maidir leis an phlean maoiniú do sheirbhísí óige Gaeilge a ghearradh, beart a rachaidh i bhfeidhm ar Ghlór na Móna go háirithe. Ag labhairt dó roimh chruinniú poiblí Déardaoin, d’éiligh sé ar an Údarás Oideachais an maoiniú a chuir ar ais láithreach bonn:
“Éilíonn People Before Profit ar an Údarás Oideachais athchinneadh a dhéanamh agus an maoiniú dírithe ar sheirbhísí óige Gaeilge a chur ar fáil arís láithreach bonn.”
“Déanfaidh an cinneadh seo léirscrios ar earnáil fhíor-rathúil, agus druidfear seirbhísí óige agus caillfear poist dá bharr. Tá sé ar cheann de na samplaí is measa de chlár oibre déine Stormont, agus is léiriú ríshoiléir é ar an ghéarghá atá le cearta teanga.
“Is ceannairí san obair óige iad Glór na Móna, in aon teanga. Ba bhuille ollmhór é dá mbeadh orthu na doirse a dhruidim, chan amháin do cheantar Uachtar Chluanaí ach d’Iarthar Bhéal Feirste ar fad, áit a bhfuil géarghá le níos mó seirbhísí óige.
“Le linn na paindéime chonacthas scuaine fhada de pholaiteoirí ag bainte leasa as an bhuaireamh fá mheabhairshláinte an aosa óig chun scoileanna a choinneáil oscailte. Is léir ón easpa infheistíocht cheart i seirbhísí óige gur bréag a bhí sa bhuaireamh sin, leithscéal úsáideach ar cuireadh ar leataobh é a luaithe agus a d’fhill daoine ar an obair.
“Seasann People Before Profit le Glór na Móna agus pobal na Gaeilge. Cé acu an ciorrú maoinithe seo nó ceist mhór Acht na Gaeilge atá i gceist, creideann muid nach luíonn réiteach na faidhbe i gcomhráití ciúine taobh thiar de dhoirse druidte ach go luíonn sé leis an chleachtas a d’fhorbair pobal na Gaeilge go héifeachtach iad féin le blianta beaga anuas: cosa ar na sráideanna.
“Sábháil a gcuid seirbhísí!”
People Before Profit MLA for West Belfast Gerry Carroll has voiced his disgust at the proposed funding cut to Irish medium youth services, affecting Glór na Móna particularly. Speaking ahead of a public meeting on Thursday evening, he called on the Education Authority to immediately reinstate the funding:
“People Before Profit calls on the Education Authority to reverse their decision and immediately reinstate targeted funding for Irish medium youth services.
“This cut would decimate a hugely successful sector, resulting in youth services closing and jobs lost. It represents the very worst of Stormont’s austerity agenda, and is a stark example of the urgent need for long-overdue Irish language rights.
“In particular, Glór na Móna are leaders when it comes to youth work in any language. To close their doors would be a massive blow, not only to the Upper Springfield, but to the whole of West Belfast, an area in dire need of increased youth provision.
The pandemic saw a long line of politicians use concern about young people’s mental health to force schools to stay open. The lack of proper investment in youth services shows this concern to be hollow, a useful excuse, forgotten once people were back at work.
“People Before Profit stands with Glór na Móna and the entire Irish language community. Whether it is this funding cut, or the bigger question of an Acht Gaeilge, we believe the solution won’t be found in winks and nods behind closed doors, but with the tactic the Irish language community have pioneered so successfully in recent years: feet on the street.”
“Save their youth services! Sábháil a gcuid seirbhísí!”
ENDS
