The creation of an Irish language academy/acadamh in the North would be an exciting development for the language and could give it a major boost, according to a Derry MLA.
Sinn Fein Derry MLA with Culture Minister Carál Ní Chuilín.
Sinn Fein’s Raymond McCartney was commenting after Culture Minister Carál Ní Chuilín revealed at a DCAL committee meeting yesterday that her department would be carrying out a feasibility study into such an academy.
Mr McCartney said an academy would be an “exciting development” for the Irish language.
He added: “This an idea that has been mooted in language circles for a while now but with little progress to date. An Acadamh (Irish language academy) would complement the department’s Líofa initiative and certainly contribute to the growth and standard of Irish.”
The Sinn Fein MLA said Making the Irish language more accessible to all communities in the north and establishing a uniform spoken curriculum that provides consistency in content, teaching strategies, resources and assessment can only benefit the continued appeal and usage of Gaeilge.
Mr McCartney concluded: “I look forward to seeing the results of the feasibility study and believe this could be another initiative by the minister that can have a long-lasting positive affect on the language.”
