Councillor demands increased use of Irish language in all affairs

INCREASING the use of the Irish language by Cork County Council is to be discussed by members after a motion was submitted by councillor Diarmaid Ó Cadhla.

Mr Ó Cadhla wants the words ‘Cork County Council’ to be replaced on Council workers hi-vis clothing with the Irish version ‘Comhairle Contae Chorcaí’ and for the Irish language to be used on all Council advertising.

He has also called on any groups receiving funding from the Council to outline how they intend to promote the use of Irish.

“I call on the Council to commence the practice of sending a letter to all persons, be they organisations, individual persons, sections of any organisation, community groups etc, who receive funding or financial assistance, or any other type of assistance from the Council, requesting to know how they intend to promote the Irish language in their affairs or events and that we ensure that we receive a letter in response,” he said.

Mr Ó Cadhla also wants a regular report to the Council on how groups that receive financial assistance are using Irish with the municipal districts following suit.

The Official Languages Act 2003 states that all official documents, including policy proposals, annual reports, accounts, and strategy statements by public bodies must be produced in Irish as well as English, and citizens have the choice of corresponding with local authorities in Irish or English.

However, the Act is subject to the public body having enough staff with the relevant language skills to provide communications in both languages.

The Act states that both the Irish language and English language should have equal status or prominence on most new state signage and stationery, and there must be an Irish language option on public sector customer phone lines and state-run websites.