Republican News · Thursday 26 June 2003

McElduff welcomes u-turn on Irish language cutbacks

West Tyrone Sinn Féin representative Barry Mc Elduff has welcomed confirmation from Dublin government Minister Eamon Ó Cuív that £1.6 million cut from the budget of Foras na Gaeilge last September is to be given back to the all-Ireland language body.

The Minister has also says that he is involved in talks with the Department of Culture and Arts in the North requesting that it replenish the £0.5 million that it cut from the budget of An Foras shortly after the Dublin cutbacks.

"Sinn Féin negotiators vigorously pursued the issue of the cutbacks at the recent Hillsbourough talks," said McElduff. "Tribute also must be paid to groups like POBAL, who lobbied extensively for these cutbacks to be reversed. I now welcome these moves by Minister O Cuív to attempt to redress the situation.

"These cutbacks were totally wrong. They made a mockery of the status accorded to the Irish language under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement.

"The Irish language sector is largely voluntary, yet it has a disproportionately positive impact on the economic, cultural and tourist regeneration of the country.

"This renewed funding will mean that the development projects of language groups throughout the country will now be able to proceed with this regeneration."