Language Body Joint Communiqué 7 July 2011
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NORTH SOUTH MINISTERIAL COUNCIL
NORTH SOUTH LANGUAGE BODY
SECTORAL FORMATNSMC JOINT SECRETARIAT OFFICES, ARMAGH
7 JULY 2011
JOINT COMMUNIQUÉ
1. The twelfth North South Ministerial Council meeting in Language Body sectoral format was held in Armagh on 7 July, 2011 .The meeting was attended by Jimmy Deenihan TD Minister for Arts Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Carál Ní Chuilín MLA, Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure, Dinny McGinley TD Minister of State with special responsibility for Gaeltacht Affairs and OFMDFM Junior Minister Jonathan Bell, MLA. Minister Deenihan chaired the meeting.
2. The meeting dealt with issues relating to the Language Body and its two constituent agencies, Tha Boord o Ulstèr Scotch (The Ulster-Scots Agency) and Foras na Gaeilge (The Irish Language Agency).
PROGRESS REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS
3. The Council received presentations and progress reports from Foras na Gaeilge and the Ulster-Scots Agency on collaborative work and other activities of the two agencies including:
- further joint development of the lectures series ‘Aspects of our Shared Heritage’ and plans to provide evening community education lectures in conjunction with local councils;
- provision of joint information stands at events such as the National Ploughing Championships, Castlewellan Agricultural Show and the Stormont Family Fun Day;
- the first accreditation system for Irish language editors held by Foras na Gaeilge on 25 June 2011 and the launch of new supports for the Irish language translation sector;
- approval of funding by Foras na Gaeilge for 50 summer camps which provide valuable opportunities for children to use Irish outside the school environment, and for 47 festivals to promote the language in the community at large;
- the approval by the Ulster-Scots Agency of almost 300 grants for grass roots communities to undertake music and dance tuition and for 32 Ulster-Scots festivals, and extension of the Community Workers Scheme which continues to impact positively on Ulster-Scots activities by improving capacity in community groups; and
delivery by the Ulster-Scots Agency of a range of educational programmes including 8 after schools clubs and 32 community summer schools schemes which will engage children and young people in Ulster-Scots language and culture.
NORTH/SOUTH LANGUAGE BODY CORPORATE PLAN 2011-13 AND BUSINESS PLAN AND BUDGET 2011
NORTH/SOUTH LANGUAGE BODY CORPORATE PLAN 2011-13 AND BUSINESS PLAN AND BUDGET 2011
- The Council discussed progress on the development of the North/South Language Body Corporate Plan 2011 - 2013 and Business Plan and Budget 2011.
NORTH SOUTH LANGUAGE BODY ANNUAL REPORTS AND ACCOUNTS
4. The Council noted that the Language Body’s 2007 Accounts were laid in the Oireachtas and the Northern Ireland Assembly on 10 June 2011 and that audit fieldwork has been completed in respect of the Annual Reports and Accounts for 2008 and 2009 and consolidation will follow on as soon as possible. Draft accounts have been filed in respect of 2010.
5. The Council noted that it is proposed to introduce a new simplified consolidation process as soon as possible and that a further progress report on this will be given at the next NSMC Language Body meeting.
FORAS NA GAEILGE REVIEW OF CORE FUNDED BODIES
6. The Council noted that all the draft schemes required to implement the recommendations of the Review have now been drawn up. Following consideration of the comments made during the recent public consultation exercise, the approval of the Board and the Finance Ministers will be sought, prior to submitting the schemes to the next meeting of the NSMC for approval.
7. The Council agreed that, in the context of continuing to achieve satisfactory progress, interim funding may continue to be provided by Foras na Gaeilge to existing funded organisations until end of June 2012. A further progress report will be made at the next NSMC meeting in Language Sectoral Format.
ULSTER-SCOTS AGENCY AMENDMENTS TO FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE SCHEME
8. The Council noted the recommendations of the review of the Ulster-Scots Agency’s financial assistance scheme.
DATE OF NEXT MEETING
9. The Council agreed to hold its next meeting in Language sectoral format in October/November 2011.
Joint Secretariat
7 July 2011
4. The Council noted that the Language Body’s 2007 Accounts were laid in the Oireachtas and the Northern Ireland Assembly on 10 June 2011 and that audit fieldwork has been completed in respect of the Annual Reports and Accounts for 2008 and 2009 and consolidation will follow on as soon as possible. Draft accounts have been filed in respect of 2010.
5. The Council noted that it is proposed to introduce a new simplified consolidation process as soon as possible and that a further progress report on this will be given at the next NSMC Language Body meeting.
FORAS NA GAEILGE REVIEW OF CORE FUNDED BODIES
6. The Council noted that all the draft schemes required to implement the recommendations of the Review have now been drawn up. Following consideration of the comments made during the recent public consultation exercise, the approval of the Board and the Finance Ministers will be sought, prior to submitting the schemes to the next meeting of the NSMC for approval.
7. The Council agreed that, in the context of continuing to achieve satisfactory progress, interim funding may continue to be provided by Foras na Gaeilge to existing funded organisations until end of June 2012. A further progress report will be made at the next NSMC meeting in Language Sectoral Format.
ULSTER-SCOTS AGENCY AMENDMENTS TO FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE SCHEME
8. The Council noted the recommendations of the review of the Ulster-Scots Agency’s financial assistance scheme.
DATE OF NEXT MEETING
9. The Council agreed to hold its next meeting in Language sectoral format in October/November 2011.
Joint Secretariat
7 July 2011
