An Ghaeilge

An Ghaeilge

Leagadh amach tiomantas na hOllscoile don Ghaeilge den chéad uair in Acht Choláiste Ollscoile na Gaillimhe, 1929 agus rinneadh é sin a athdhearbhú in Acht Choláiste Ollscoile na Gaillimhe (Leasú), 2006 ina luaitear go bhfuil ar cheann de phríomhaidhmeanna na hOllscoile “an t-oideachas a sholáthar... trí mheán na Gaeilge”. Téann Plean Straitéiseach na hOllscoile, 2020-25 níos faide fós agus tá gealltanas tugtha ina leith chun straitéis uaillmhianach don todhchaí i leith na Gaeilge a fhorbairt agus a chur i bhfeidhm, i gcomhpháirt le páirtithe leasmhara náisiúnta agus le pobail Ghaeltachta, bunaithe ar luachanna an ómóis agus na hinbhuanaitheachta.

In 2019, tar éis athstruchtúrú ar an ardbhainistíocht, aistríodh cúram na Gaeilge ó Oifig an Rúnaí go hOifig an Uachtaráin Ionaid agus Meabhránaí, arb é, i ndiaidh agus mar ionadaí an Uachtaráin, an ball is sinsearaí den fhoireann bainistíochta é. I bhfianaise na n-athruithe sin, a ardaíonn stádas na Gaeilge i struchtúr bainistíochta na hOllscoile, bhí sé tábhachtach athbhreithniú a dhéanamh ar shocruithe rialachais maidir le cúrsaí a bhaineann leis an nGaeilge in Ollscoil na Gaillimhe.

Tá an tUachtarán Ionaid agus Meabhránaí ina bhall d’Fhoireann Bainistíochta Ollscoile a bhfuil sé de chúram orthu a chinntiú go gcomhlíonann an Ollscoil a cuid dualgas maidir leis an nGaeilge. Oibríonn sé go dlúth le hAcadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge agus déanann sé monatóireacht ar fheidhmíocht na hOllscoile i leith na Scéimeanna Teanga, a bhfuil dualgas ar chomhlachtaí poiblí a ullmhú faoi Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla, 2003. Sa tríú Scéim Teanga in OÉ Gaillimh, 2018-21 déantar cur síos ar an gcur chuige agus na hiarrachtaí atá ar bun chun úsáid na Gaeilge a chur chun cinn i ngnó laethúil na hOllscoile.

I mí Iúil 2021, sheol an Dr Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, iarAire Rialtais agus iarChoimisinéar na hEorpa ar Thaighde, Nualaíocht agus Eolaíocht, atá nua-cheaptha mar chathaoirleach ar Údaras na hOllscoile, an chéad Straitéis don Ghaeilge, Straitéis na Gaeilge 2021-25 go hoifigiúil.  Leagann an Straitéis amach fís uaillmhianach le beocht a chur i gcampas dhátheangach na hOllscoile agus le bealach a leagan amach chun cultúr iomlán dátheangach a bhaint amach, trí pholasaíthe oibríochta, struchtúir rialachais agus tacaíocht do phobail na Gaeilge anseo. Rinne Coiste Straitéiseach na Gaeilge nua-bhunaithe, ar a bhfuil Uachtarán na hOllscoile, an tOllamh Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh ina chathaoirleach, forbairt ar an Straitéis, le rannpháirtíocht forleathan ó bhaill inmheánacha agus sheachtracha na hOllscoile. Sa Straitéis, aithnítear cúig phríomhthéama: Cúrsaí Acadúla, Cúrsaí Riaracháin, Spás agus Achmhainní, Cúrsaí Mac Léinn agus an Pobal i gCoitinne.

The University’s commitment to the Irish language was first set out in the University College Galway Act 1929 and this was reiterated in the University College Galway (Amendment) Act 2006, which states that one of the principal aims of the university is “the provision of education ... through the medium of the Irish language”. The University’s Strategic Plan 2020-25 goes even further and commits to developing and implementing an ambitious and future-focused strategy for the Irish language, in partnership with national stakeholders and Gaeltacht communities, based on our values of respect and sustainability.

In 2019, following a restructuring of senior management by the University President, the responsibility for the Irish language was moved from the Office of the Secretary to the Office of the Deputy President and Registrar, the most senior member of the management team after the President and deputy to the President. In view of these changes, it was important to review governance arrangements around matters to do with the Irish language at the University of Galway.

The Deputy President and Registrar is the member of the University Management Team who is tasked with ensuring that the University fulfills its obligations in relation to Irish. He works closely with Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge and monitors the University’s performance against the Language Scheme, which public bodies are required to prepare under the Official Languages Act 2003. NUI Galway’s third Language Scheme 2018-21 details the approaches and efforts undertaken to promote the use of Irish in the daily business of the University.

 In July 2021, Dr Máire Geoghegan Quinn, newly appointed Chair of the University’s Governing Authority and former government minister and European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science,  launched NUI Galway's  inaugural Irish Language Strategy -  A Strategy for the Irish Language 2021-25. The strategy sets out an ambitious vision to bring the University’s bilingual campus to life and to set out a path for truly bilingual culture, through operational policies, governance structures and empowering its communities to be champions of the Irish language. The strategy was developed by the newly established Irish Language Strategic Committee chaired by President of the University of Galway, Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh, with wide participation from both internal and external membership to the University. The Strategy identifies five main themes: Academic Affairs, Administration Affairs, Space and Resources, Student Affairs, and the Public at Large.