Siompóisiam ar Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla / Symposium on the Official Languages Act 2003 in TCD

Posted on: 24 January 2012

Reachtaigh Scoil an Dlí agus Oifig na Gaeilge, Coláiste na Tríonóide, i gcomhar le Craobh na gCeithre Chúirteanna de Chonradh na Gaeilge (le tacaíocht ó Ghuth na Gaeltachta), Siompóisiam Poiblí ar Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla 2003 i gColáiste na Tríonóide ar an Satharn 21 Eanáir 2011.

‘Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla 2003: Leasú chun feabhais’ a bhí mar theideal ar an Siompóisiam seo, a cuireadh ar siúl i gcomhthéacs an athbhreithnithe atá fógartha ag an Rialtas maidir le feidhmiú na reachtaíochta agus a héifeachtachta.

Bhí cur chuige an tSiompóisiam bunaithe ar trí spriocanna:

SÚIL SIAR A CHAITHEAMH AR FHORFHEIDHMIÚ NA REACHTAÍOCHTA Ó 2003 i leith, le haitheasc ón gCoimisinéir Teanga, Seán Ó Cuirreáin, maidir le taithí a oifige féin; aitheasc ó ionadaí as Roinn na hEalaíona, na hOidhreachta agus na Gaeltachta agus léargas a fháil ó Oifigeach Gaeilge in eagras poiblí maidir le cur i bhfeidhm na reachtaíochta go hinmheánach in eagras.

LÉARGAIS A FHÁIL AR ÉIFEACHTACHT NA REACHTAÍOCHTA, ó chleachtóir dlí (Dáithí Mac Cárthaigh BL) maidir le cur i bhfeidhm na reachtaíochta sa chóras dlí; ó Julian de Spáinn, Ard Rúnaí Chonradh na Gaeilge maidir le dearcadh eagras Ghaeilge ar éifeachtacht na reachtaíochta agus a dtuairimí lena fheabhsú; agus ó Éamonn MacNiallais ón bhfeachtas pobail Guth na Gaeltachta maidir leis an chaoi a fheidhmíonn an reachtaíocht ar son cearta teanga ar an talamh sna Gaeltachtaí agus na leasuithe a mheasann siad atá de dhíth.

RÉIMSE LEATHAN TUAIRIMÍ AR CHEIST NA REACHTAÍOCHTA, NA H-ATHBHREITHNITHE AGUS A FHEABHSAITHE, A BHAILIÚ le chéile ó ionadaithe na n-eagras Ghaeilge agus ó dhaoine aonair, trí Fhóram Plé oscailte a éascú. Emer Ní Chonaola (TG4) a bhí i mbun an Fhóram Plé. Is í Eimear Ní Chonaola an príomhláithreoir nuachta ar TG4. Is an Spidéal di ó dhúchas agus is céimí í d’Ollscoil na hÉireann, Gaillimh.

Beidh sé mar aidhm ag an Siompóisiam páipéar cuimsitheach a chur le chéile, bunaithe ar imeachtaí an lae, ar na ceisteanna uile atá le tabhairt san áireamh agus athbhreithniú an Rialtais ag dul ar aghaidh. Rinne Rapporteur /Tuairisceoir imeachtaí an lae a leanúint go géar agus cuirfear páipéar ar fáil don Rialtas mar ábhar cúnaimh don phróiseas athbhreithnithe.

Bhí an ócáid seo oscailte do mhic léinn, cleachtóirí dlí agus phobal mór na Gaeilge, mar aon le hionadaithe ó na heagrais Ghaeilge, agus gach éinne le spéis san ábhar.

Tosaíodh imeachtaí an lae le fáilte ón Ollamh Gerry Whyte ó Scoil an Dlí, Coláiste na Tríonóide, agus le cúpla focal ó Eithne Reid O’Doherty BL, Cathaoirleach, Craobh na gCeithre Cúirteanna.

Symposium on the Official Languages Act 2003 in TCD

The School of Law and the Irish Language Office, Trinity College Dublin, in association with the Four Courts branch of Conradh na Gaeilge and with the support of Guth na Gaeltachta held a Public Symposium on the Official Languages Act 2003 in Trinity College on Saturday, 21 January 2012.

“Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiula: Leasú Chun Feabhais” (the Official Languages Act 2003: Increasing Its Effectiveness) was the theme of the symposium, which was held in the context of the review recently announced by the Government of the operation of the legislation, and its effectiveness.

The day’s proceedings commenced with a welcome from Professor Gerry Whyte of the School of Law, Trinity College, and a few words from Eithne Reid O’Doherty BL, chairperson of the Four Courts branch of Conradh na Gaeilge. The symposium comprised three separate elements:

A Review of the Implementation of this Legislation since 2003, with speeches from the Official Languages Commissioner, Seán Ó Cuirreáin in relation to the experience of his own office; from a representative of the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht; and a perspective from an Irish Language Officer in a public body, in relation to how the legislation operates internally in a public body.

Perspectives on the Effectiveness of the Legislation, with contributions from a legal practitioner (Dáithí MacCárthaigh BL) in relation to how the legislation operates in the legal system; from Julian de Spáinn, General Secretary of Conradh na Gaeilge, on the views of Irish language organisations on the effectiveness of the legislation and their proposals for its improvement; and from Éamonn MacNiallais from the community campaigning group Guth na Gaeltachta on experience of how the legislation serves language rights on the ground in the Gaeltachtaí, and the improvements which they feel are necessary.

Open Discussion Forum- Differing Perspectives on the Legislation in the context of the Review, with Irish language organisations and individuals. Emer Ní Chonaola, (TG4) chaired this discussion forum. Ms Ní Chonaola is the anchor news presenter on TG4. Originally from Spiddal, she is a graduate of the National University of Ireland, Galway.

It is the objective of the symposium to compile a comprehensive paper, based on the day’s proceedings, on the range of issues which must be taken into consideration in the Governmental Review. The paper will be submitted to Government for consideration as part of its review process.

This event was open to students, legal practitioners and the Irish language community, as well as representatives from Irish language organisations and others with an interest in the topic.

Seán Ó Cuirreáin

Seán Ó Cuirreáin was appointed on 23 February 2004 as the first Official Languages Commissioner, under the Official Languages Act 2003. He was reappointed for a further six-year term on 23 February 2010. The role and powers of the Language Commissioner are set out in the Act, and he enjoys complete independence in his role as Commissioner.

Aonghus Dwane

Aonghus Dwane is Irish language officer in Trinity College, which introduced its Irish Language Scheme in 2010, and is also a solicitor, who worked on the DPP’s Irish Language Scheme during his time in that office.

Dáithí MacCárthaigh BL

Dáithí MacCárthaigh is a barrister. He is also coordinator of the Law and Irish programme at the King’s Inns. He lives in the Rath Cairn Gaeltacht.

Julian de Spáinn

Julian de Spáinn is General Secretary of Conradh na Gaeilge since 2005, and before that was the manager of Seachtain na Gaeilge Teo. He was President of the Union of Students in Ireland in 2000/01.

Éamonn MacNiallais

Éamonn Mac Niallais is the spokesperson for Guth na Gaeltachta (a non-party political campaigning group focussed on the Irish language and the Gaeltachtaí). He is also the Administrator of the Gweedore Centre of Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge.