Census 2023 – Irish Language Figures
Green Party representatives Marc Ó Cathasaigh and Róisín Garvey have labelled Census 2022 figures around the use of the Irish language as ‘an opportunity to be grasped in the European Year of Skills.’
According to Census 2022, 10% of the 1,874,000 people who can speak Irish reported being able to do so ‘very well’, with another 32% reporting that they can speak it well.
Deputy Ó Cathasaigh, who sits on the Coiste Gaeilge, says:
“In my mind, these close on 800,00 people represent a huge untapped resource for the potential future of our language. Min. Harris set everybody a challenge to celebrate the European Year of Skills to learn a new skill. I would set a slightly different challenge – go back to an old skill, and brush up on your Gaeilge.”
“There are so many ways to reignite your relationship with the Irish language, from ciorcal cómhrá to classes to just switching the dial on the radio. I’ve set myself the challenge to sit the TEG (Teastas Eorpach Gaeilge) exam to give myself a tangible measure on where my own Irish fluency is at – I’d encourage others to do the same.”
According to Sen. Garvey, Green Party spokesperson for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Irish is a life skill that will open job opportunities in the future.
“The Coimisinéir Teanga has identified a skills deficit in terms of Irish proficiency within the public sector. If we are to hit the ambitious recruitment targets set out the Bille na dTeanganch Oifigiúla for 2030, we need to focus on these people who have self-reported in this census as Irish speakers and encourage them to develop that fluency. There will be jobs all across the public service that will be crying out for those skills in the future.”
More information on the Teastas Eorpach Gaeilge can be found here:
Tá ionadaithe ón gComhaontas Glas Marc Ó Cathasaigh agus Róisín Garvey tar éis figiúirí Dhaonáireamh 2022 a bhaineann le húsáid na Gaeilge a fháiltiú, á rá gurb ‘dheis le tapú i mBliain Eorpach na Scileanna’ atá iontu.
De réir Dhaonáireamh 2022, thuairiscigh 10% den 1,874,000 duine a bhfuil Gaeilge acu go raibh siad in ann í a labhairt ‘an-mhaith’, agus thuairiscigh 32% eile gur féidir leo í a labhairt go maith.
Deir an Teachta Ó Cathasaigh, atá ar an gCoiste Gaeilge:
“I m’intinn féin, is acmhainn ollmhór iad seo nach bhfuil á mbaint astu do thodhchaí ár dteanga. Chuir an Aire Simon Harris dúshlán roimh chách chun Bliain Eorpach na Scileanna a cheiliúradh trí scil nua a fhoghlaim. Chuirfinn dúshlán beagáinín difriúil roimh daoine – dul ar ais go dtí tseanscil, agus cuir snas ar do chuid Gaeilge.”
“Tá go leor bealaí ann chun do ghaol leis an nGaeilge a athbhunú, ó chiorcal cómhrá go ranganna go díreach an dial a athrú ar an raidió. Tá dúshlán tugtha agam dom féin an scrúdú TEG (Teastas Eorpach Gaeilge) a dhéanamh chun tomhas inláimhsithe a thabhairt dom féin ar an áit a bhfuil mo líofacht Gaeilge féin – spreagfainn daoine eile an rud céanna a dhéanamh.”
Dar leis an Seanadóir Ó Garvey, urlabhraí an Chomhaontais Ghlais ar Fhiontar, Trádála agus Fostaíochta, is scil saoil í an Ghaeilge a osclóidh deiseanna fostaíochta amach anseo.
“Tá easnamh scileanna aitheanta ag an gCoimisinéir Teanga ó thaobh inniúlachta Gaeilge san earnáil phoiblí. Má táimid chun na spriocanna uaillmhianacha earcaíochta atá leagtha amach i mBille na dTeanganch Oifigiúla do 2030 a bhaint amach, caithfimid díriú ar na daoine sin a d’tuairiscigh féin sa daonáireamh mar chainteoirí Gaeilge agus iad a spreagadh chun an líofacht sin a fhorbairt. Beidh poist ar fud na seirbhíse poiblí agus na scileanna sin go mór in éileamh amach anseo.”
Tá tuilleadh eolais ar an Teastas Eorpach Gaeilge le fáil anseo:
