Committee Reports > List of Committees > Joint > 1988 > Committee on the Irish Language (2nd Committee) > Report No. 01 - Recommendations regarding the proposed advertising campaign in connection with the Irish language

APPENDIX A

SUMMARY OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE REPORT

1. That An Taoiseach and Minister for the Gaeltacht will begin the campaign officially by broadcasting a short bilingual address on television and on radio explaining what is involved, the reasons for it, what is required to achieve a lasting result and emphasising very strongly the importance of Irish and its preservation, in the life of the country (4.2.6 (a)).

2. That the leaders or spokespersons of the other Parties will have the opportunity to broadcast messages supporting Irish and explaining its importance to the people (4.2.6 (b)).

3. That Ministers in particular and spokespersons from other Parties will adopt publicly as a policy to make a continuous effort from the beginning of the campaign onwards to use more Irish in their normal activities (4.2.6 (c)).

4. R.T.É. should transmit at least one major programme in English, in relation to the Irish language, during the campaign (in addition to any programmes which might be made in Irish) (4.2.6 (d)).

5. That the media will make a substantial effort to give more attention to proceedings in Irish — particularly in the Houses of the Oireachtas — in recognition of the additional efforts which would be in progress for the good of the language (4.2.7).

6. An Taoiseach should announce a competition and invite proposals from advertising companies in relation to the campaign (4.3.2).

7. It would be worthwhile to ask advertising companies to advise their clients regarding the publicity campaign and to explain to them that it could be to their advantage to place advertisements in Irish (or bilingually even) at that time (4.3.3).

8. It would be preferable to concentrate on the use of short advertisements at low cost which would be in public view regularly rather than long expensive ones which would be seen only seldomly (4.3.4).

9. Advertisements should be taken with magazines which are directed towards specialist groups and these should be asked to publish short lists of terms in Irish (which are available already) as a facility for their readers (4.3.6 (a)).

10. All the local papers should be contacted and asked to publish some columns in Irish each week from the beginning of the campaign onwards (4.3.6 (b)).

11. Organisations which are dealing principally with cultural matters should look at what they are doing at the moment for the benefit of the language to see if they can widen and improve that role (4.4.4).

12. The voluntary Irish language organisations should awaken interest in the community at local level by;

(a)organising meetings to see if new groups or branches could be established;

(b)organising Irish classes; and

(c)organising suitable occasions to give people a chance to practise their Irish on a regular basis (4.4.5).

13. Important people in all aspects of the life of the country, who are widely known and who are interested in the Irish language should play an active part in the campaign to encourage the population (4.4.9).

14. During the campaign R.T.É. should broadcast more programmes which would be directed towards aspects of our heritage and which have a strong affinity with the language (4.5.3).

15. If some bookshops throughout the country which sell books in Irish made an effort to mount an attractive display during the campaign, in association with the publishers, it would make the community aware that a wide range of books exists and that publishing in Irish is alive and well (4.5.4 (a)).

16. A very great effort should be made in every library throughout the country to give greater prominence to the books which are available in Irish (4.5.4 (b)).

17. It would be worthwhile for companies which are producing Irish goods to undertake some advertising through Irish during the campaign for a start, in view of the strong connection between Irish as the first official language of the country and national identity (4.5.4 (c)).

18. An effort will have to be made to influence the organisers of night classes for adults at national level and encourage them to emphasise the Irish language amongst the associations throughout the country (4.5.4 (d)).

19. “Lá na Gaeilge” should be held more frequently from the beginning of the campaign onwards (4.5.5).

20. Before the beginning of the campaign the authorities should contact the professional and business organisations and institutes to point out to them how important it would be to establish sub-groups within them to tackle the promotion of Irish amongst the membership (4.5.6).

21. The following amendments should be implemented in the structure relating to Irish in the State system at the same time as the advertising campaign will be commenced:

(a)that each Minister would have specific obligations in relation to Irish and its promotion in his Department/Departments and in each State Sponsored Body under its aegis (4.6.4 (a));

(b)that each Minister would be responsible to An Taoiseach and Minister for the Gaeltacht regarding the obligation in relation to Irish and that a comprehensive report be prepared every six months in that respect (4.6.4 (b));

(c)that Ministers would have a policy of having suitable parts of speeches regularly in Irish (inside and outside the Houses of the Oireachtas) (4.6.4 (c));

(d)that Ministers would give every encouragement and support to Members of both Houses to use Irish (4.6.4 (d)).

22. The Minister for the Environment should review the operation of the Road Traffic (Signs) (Amendment) Regulations, 1970 in relation to road signs in the Gaeltacht and take steps to ensure that Local Authorities fulfill their obligations (4.6.5).

23. Relevant Ministers should review the operation of various legislation which exists specifically for the benefit of the Irish language to see if the position may be improved (4.6.6).

24. For the benefit of young people primarily the following steps should be adopted:

(a)that special packages be prepared for all the schools and for teachers explaining the importance of Irish, etc. (4.7.3 (a));

(b)that the authorities in all the schools, in association with the teachers, would make particular arrangements to ensure that as much Irish as possible would be heard and seen in the ordinary events in the schools. (4.7.3 (b));

(c)that it be announced at the beginning of or during the campaign what is planned specifically to overcome the great difficulties associated with textbooks and teaching materials in Irish in general (4.7.3 (c));

(d)it would be worthwhile for R.T.É. to re-transmit the series “Anois agus Arís” on television and on radio during the campaign to assist parents and pupils (4.7.3 (d));

((e)that special packages be prepared for the various organisations which deal with youth affairs (in Irish and in English) explaining the importance of the language and the uses which could be made of it in their activities (4.7.3 (e)).

25. In view of the fact that the Gaeltacht is the source of the Irish language particular steps must be taken to encourage people to it in order to learn and practise Irish, viz:

(a)that the appropriate Regional Tourism Boards prepare attractive bilingual packages in relation to the Gaeltachts in their areas of operation with specific emphasis on the language (4.8.3 (a) );

(b)that maps, etc. in Irish which would be useful to visitors be prepared in Irish (4.8.3 (b));

(c)that special publicity be given to events in Irish in the Gaeltacht and outside it which would be attractive to people interested in the language (4.8.3 (c)).

26. That it would be worthwhile to establish a connection between the advertising campaign in relation to Irish and the Dublin Millennium. The Irish language is part of the heritage of that city and that is worthy of attention (4.9.2).