Ruane marks major step forward for Irish language youth provision

Education Minister, Caitríona Ruane, today delivered a major boost to youth services through the medium of Irish in Belfast.

The Minister presented 15 young voluntary workers from three Irish medium youth organisations with the Open College Network (OCN) Level 1 Certificate in Youth Work. In an initiative funded by the Belfast Education and Library Board (BELB), the participants studied for the qualification totally through the medium of Irish, the first ever in the north to do so.

Speaking as she presented the awards in a special event at Irish medium school Coláiste Feirste in Belfast, the Minister said: “This is a significant step forward for Irish language youth services in Belfast. For too long, informal education provision for young Irish speakers was almost non-existent, leaving them with inadequate access to the services they needed.

“Now, however, we are seeing unprecedented growth in the demand for services in Irish across all aspects of young people’s lives, from pre-school education through to primary and post-primary levels and beyond. With youth services in Irish running parallel to formal education, we are laying strong foundations for the long-term health of our native language.”

The Minister continued: “I congratulate these young people for volunteering their own time to help others. Not only does this qualification represent a highly worthwhile and tangible outcome from their efforts, it also opens up exciting and inspiring future career paths.

“Finally, I pay tribute to the BELB for funding the study programme and to An Droichead, Glór na Móna and Club Óige Machaire whose passion and commitment has made this step towards real equality possible. I particularly welcome that the BELB will continue to fund the programme in 2010/11, enabling these organisations to offer the OCN Level 2 Certificate in Irish.”

Notes to editors:

1. The Department of Education made available £20,000 to each of the Education and Library Boards in 2009/10 to support and develop Irish medium youth work.
2. Media enquiries to the Department of Education Press Office Tel: 028 9127 9207. Out of office hours, contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 076 99 715 440, and your call will be returned.