Tá Leas-Cheannaire Aontú, Gemma Brolly, i ndiaidh a tacaíocht iomlán a chur in iúl do na hagóidí an tseachtain seo ag Cnoc an Anfa agus Teach Laighean, áit a bhfuil pobal na Gaeilge tagtha le chéile chun cothrom na Féinne agus comhionannas a éileamh, i ndiaidh ciorrú tubaisteach de bhreis agus £800,000 ar mhaoiniú Fhoras na Gaeilge. Tugann Foras na Gaeilge an-chuid tacaíochta dár bpobail Gaeilge, cuidíonn siad chun imeachtaí a chur ar fáil cosúil le clubanna óige, dramaíocht, ranganna, srl. Tá an maoiniú seo riachtanach amach is amach chun ár dteanga agus ár bpobail Gaeilge ar fad a forbairt.
Bhuail Ionadaí Aontú Oirthear Dhoire le Conradh na Gaeilge ar an 25ú Feabhra le tionchar tubaisteach na gciorruithe seo a phlé agus le stádas reatha chur i bhfeidhm Acht na Gaeilge a chíoradh. Chuir Bn. Uí Bhrollaigh, atá mar chrann taca le fada an lá ar son na Gaeilge, béim ar an ghá phráinneach atá le gníomh polaitiúil agus le tiomantas láidir chun an teanga a chosaint agus a chur chun cinn do na glúnta atá le teacht.
“Ní arm í an Ghaeilge — is le gach duine í a bhfuil fonn orthu í a úsáid. Le blianta anuas, tá mé i mbun feachtasaíochta, ag cur brú ar airí rialtais, ag labhairt ag comhdhálacha INTO agus ag ardú na gceisteanna seo leis an gCoimisinéir um Leanaí agus Daoine Óga i dTuaisceart Éireann. Tá mé i ndiaidh na héagothromaíochtaí tromchúiseacha i maoiniú na Gaeilge a léiriú go seasta, go háirithe i réimse an oideachais agus go speisialta sna Riachtanais Speisialta Oideachais (RSO). Tá go leor ráite — tá sé in am anois cothrom na Féinne agus comhionannas a bhaint amach.”
Mar gheall ar a ról mar mhúinteoir agus mar Chomhordaitheoir Riachtanas Speisialta Oideachais (CRSO) i suíomhanna Gaeilge agus Béarla araon, ní raibh Uí Bhrollaigh in ann a bheith i láthair ag an agóid ag Cnoc an Anfa Dé Máirt. Mar sin féin, dhearbhaigh sí arís a tiomantas do phobail Ghaeilge agus don troid ar son cearta comhionanna.
Ag machnamh ar a nasc pearsanta leis an teanga, chuir Uí Bhrollaigh béim ar fhréamhacha stairiúla agus trasphobail na Gaeilge:
“Scríobh mé mo thráchtas ar ról na mban Protastúnach sa Ghaeilge — mná láidre, cliste a raibh ról tábhachtach acu i gcaomhnú ár n-oidhreacht teanga. Ní le haon phobal amháin í an Ghaeilge — is linne uilig í.”
D’iarr Leas Cheannaire Aontú freagracht agus ceannaireacht pholaitiúil i dtaca le comhionannas a sholathar:
“Ní hé post an pholaiteora tuairim phearsanta a chur i bhfeidhm — is é an jab atá ann reachtaíocht a chur i bhfeidhm mar atá ordaithe agus freastal ar an phobal ar bhealach cothrom agus cóir. Níor cheart go mbeadh ar phobal na Gaeilge agóid a dhéanamh ar son cearta agus aitheantais a bhfuil siad ina dteideal cheana.”
D’ardaigh ceannaire Aontú, Peadar Tóibín, an cheist ríthábhachtach seo le déanaí sa Dáil, ag cur béime ar nádúr do-ghlactha na gciorruithe seo agus ag éileamh gníomh láithreach chun iad a aisiompú. Tabharfaidh Aontú tacaíocht don agóid freisin, ar an Chéadaoin taobh amuigh de Teach Laighean. Chuir Uí Bhrollaigh in iúl go leanfaidh Aontú ag úsáid gach ardán atá ar fáil chun cothrom na Féinne a bhaint amach:
“Leanfaidh Aontú de bheith ag déanamh gach is féidir linn chun deireadh a chur leis an éagothroime seo agus cothrom na féinne a bhaint amach do chách. Is cuid dhílis dár bhféiniúlacht agus ár n-oidhreachta í an Ghaeilge — ní mór í a chosaint agus a chothú.”
Tá Aontú go huile is go hiomlán i ndlúthpháirtíocht le pobal na Gaeilge agus tacaíonn siad lena n-éileamh ar chothrom na féinne — cothrom agus comhionannas — ní mar phribhléid, ach mar cheart bunúsach. Is céim siar mhór iad na gciorruithe le déanaí ar mhaoiniú Fhoras na Gaeilge, agus tá Aontú ag éileamh ar cheannairí polaitiúla na gciorruithe seo a aisiompú agus na gealltanais a tugadh do phobail Ghaeilge a chomhlíonadh.
CRÍOCH
Aontú Deputy Leader Gemma Brolly Supports Protests Demanding Fairness and Equality for the Irish Language
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Aontú Deputy Leader, Gemma Brolly, has voiced her full support for this week’s protests at Stormont and Leinster House, where the Irish language community has united to demand fairness and equality — cothrom na féinne — following devastating cuts of over £800,000 to Foras na Gaeilge funding. Foras na Gaeilge provide great support to our Irish Language communities, they help to provide events and support youth clubs, dramas, classes, etc. This funding is absolutely necessary in the development of our language and our Irish language communities.
The Aontú East Derry Representative recently met with Conradh na Gaeilge on 25th February to discuss the catastrophic impact of these cuts and to address the current status of the Irish Language Act’s implementation. Brolly, a long-time advocate for the Irish language, emphasised the urgent need for political action and a commitment to protecting and promoting the language for future generations.
“The Irish language is not a weapon — it belongs to everyone who wishes to use it. For years, I have campaigned, lobbied ministers, spoken at INTO conferences, and raised these issues with the NI Commissioner for Children and Young People. I have consistently highlighted the deep inequalities in funding for the Irish language, particularly within education and especially in Special Educational Needs (SEN). I see these inequalities impact our children day in day out. Enough is enough — it’s time to step up and deliver fairness and equality.”
Due to her role as a teacher and SENCO (Special Educational Needs Coordinator) in both Irish medium and English medium settings, Brolly was unable to attend Tuesday’s protest at Stormont. However, she reaffirmed her unwavering commitment to the Irish language community and the fight for equal rights.
Reflecting on her personal connection to the language, Brolly highlighted the historical and cross-community roots of Irish: “I wrote my dissertation on the role of Protestant women in the Irish language — strong, intelligent women who played a crucial role in preserving our linguistic heritage. The Irish language is not the property of one community — it belongs to us all.”
Brolly also called for political accountability and leadership in delivering equality: “The job of a politician is not to impose personal opinion — it is to implement legislation as instructed and to serve the people equally and fairly. The Irish language community should not have to protest for rights and recognition that should already be guaranteed.”
Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín recently raised this critical issue in the Dáil, highlighting the unacceptable nature of these cuts and demanding immediate action to reverse them. Aontú will also support Wednesday’s protest outside Leinster House. Brolly stressed that Aontú will continue to use every available platform to fight for justice and equality: “Aontú will continue to do all we can to stamp out such inequality and to achieve cothrom na féinne for all. The Irish language is a fundamental part of our identity and heritage — it must be protected and supported.”
Aontú stands in full solidarity with the Irish language community and supports their demand for cothrom na féinne — fairness and equality — not as a privilege, but as a right. The recent cuts to Foras na Gaeilge funding represent a regressive step, and Aontú is calling on political leaders to reverse these cuts and honour their commitments to the Irish language community.
ENDS
