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Céard É An Scéal? Independent research commissioned by Conradh na Gaeilge tells positive story of majority supporting Irish language

Céard É An Scéal? Tuairimí an Phobail i Leith na Gaeilge 2015Conradh na Gaeilge’s first research report shows overwhelming positivity for the language across the island, but highlights public demands for more state support

The Céard É An Scéal? Tuairimí an Phobail i Leith na Gaeilge research report commissioned by Conradh na Gaeilge earlier this year shows that 44% of people in the south and 29% of people in the north would like the opportunity to learn more Irish. 70% of people in the south and 54% of people in the north believe that services should be available through Irish for those who wish to use them, and 61% in the south and 48% in the north would like to see more support for the Irish language from the state, according to the research published by Conradh na Gaeilge on the PEIG.ie website today (Monday, 14 December 2015).

Cóilín Ó Cearbhaill, President of Conradh na Gaeilge says:

“The latest research commissioned by Conradh na Gaeilge reveals that most Irish people have a positive opinion about the language, and this is true not only among the Irish-speaking public, but across various sections of the wider community in general as well. It is obvious from this year’s research that there is strong support for providing more services for the Irish-speaking community throughout Ireland however, and the majority on this island believe that the state should do more for the language, and for the language community.”

Opportunities to Use Irish:

  • 45% of people in the south and 26% in the north would like the opportunity to use more Irish
  • 44% of people in the south and 29% of people in the north would like the opportunity to learn more Irish
  • 72% of people in the south and 63% of people in the north believe that Irish-medium education should be available for those who wish to avail of it

Services in Irish & Support from the State:

  • 65% of people in the south and 55% of people in the north agree that the state / government should provide support for local communities to develop Irish language strategies in their own area
  • 61% of people in the south and 48% of people in the north would like to see more support for the Irish language from the state / government
  • 70% of people in the south and 54% of people in the north believe that services should be available through Irish for those who wish to use them
  • 53% of people in the south believe that the names of government agencies / semi-state bodies should always be in Irish
  • 50% of people in the north believe that bilingual signage should be erected in areas where there is demand

Irish & The Irish Economy:

  • 53% of people in the south and 46% of people in the north agree that the Irish language can positively contribute to the economic development of the island
  • 42% of people in the south and 37% of people in the north that the Irish language is a unique selling point

Seachtain na Gaeilge (Irish-Language Week):

  • 50% of the population in the south and 11% of the population in the north have heard of Seachtain na Gaeilge
  • Of those who are aware of Seachtain na Gaeilge, 33% in the south and 25% in the north have taken part in an event of Seachtain na Gaeilge

Competence in the Irish Language:

  • 5% or 90,543 people in the north are confident of their ability to speak Irish, and 8% or 144,869 people in the north are confident of their understanding of Irish
  • 26% or 1,192,946 people in the south are confident of their ability to speak Irish, and 35% or 1,605,888 people in the south are confident of their understanding of Irish

Conradh na Gaeilge began the consultation process to assess public opinion on the Irish language at the start of 2015, and the Conradh plans to build on the research by means of henceforth commissioning further consultations on an annual basis and where the questions will focus on different themes each year to widen the scope of the information for analysis.

This year’s report is based on six different focus groups organised by Conradh na Gaeilge in association with Amárach Research both north and south, and on an independent survey conducted on an all-island basis by Millward Brown on behalf of Conradh na Gaeilge in January 2015, whereby the market research company questioned over 2,000 participants from different backgrounds.

Ursula Ní Shabhaois, Research & Analysis Executive with Conradh na Gaeilge and the author of the Céard É An Scéal? report says:

“Conradh na Gaeilge commissioned the Céard É An Scéal? Tuairimí an Phobail i Leith na Gaeilge report on public perceptions about the Irish language with a view to providing a reliable source of information for gaining insight into the needs and priorities of the language community, and as a valuable lobbying resource for the Irish-speaking and Gaeltacht community in general in future.”

Hard copies of the research report are available from Conradh na Gaeilge offices in Galway, Belfast, and Dublin, or you can download a soft copy of the analysis of the current state of the Irish language with relevant graphs online from PEIG.ie/taighde or by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

 

NOTE FOR THE EDITOR:

 

Céard É An Scéal? Tuairimí an Phobail i Leith na Gaeilge (2015)

What’s the Story? Public Opinions on the Irish Langage (2015)

This year’s report is based on six different focus groups organised by Conradh na Gaeilge in association with Amárach Research both north and south over the period from January to July 2015, and the following are participants involved as grouped by their differing backgrounds:

  1. a group with fluent Irish;
  2. a group of language learners / of people without much Irish; and
  3. a group without any Irish at all.

The research results are also based on an independent survey conducted on an all-island basis by Millward Brown on behalf of Conradh na Gaeilge in January 2015, whereby the market research company questioned over 2,000 participants from different backgrounds.

 

 

Conradh na Gaeilge

6 Harcourt Street, Dublin 2.
Phone: +353 (0) 1 475 7401, Fax: +353 (0) 1 475 7844, Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.