Member's statement: Lá Idirnáisiúnta na Máthairtheangacha
Member's statement by Mr Pat Sheehan on .
- MLA
- Mr Pat Sheehan
- Party at the time
- Sinn Féin
- Date
- 10 February 2025
- Type
- Member's statement
- Business
- Members' Statements
- Heading
- Lá Idirnáisiúnta na Máthairtheangacha
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4790256
Read the official Assembly record
Text
Téann teanga dhúchais amháin in éag i gceann gach aon choicíse. Ar na teangacha a cailleadh cheana féin bhí cuid a bhí á labhairt ar imchian an Artaigh agus cuid ar chósta na hAstráile. Cé go raibh difríochtaí eatarthu ó thaobh suímh, cultúir agus foghraíochta de, tá rud amháin ag nascadh fhormhór na dteangacha dúchais a chuaigh in éag: cailleadh iad de bharr an choilíneachais nó de bharr na dteangacha idirnáisiúnta a tháinig chun cinn de dheasca an choilíneachais. Ar feadh na gcéadta bliain rinneadh ionsaithe ar ár dteanga dhúchais féin lena cur den tsaol. Ach is léir gur sháraigh ar na cumhachtaí coilíneachta an teanga a scriosadh, nó tá sí ag fás léi, agus, leoga, tá an Ghaelscolaíocht ar an earnáil is mó a bhfuil fás fúithi sa Tuaisceart. Tugann teangacha dúchais léargas ar leith dúinn ar an tír, agus nascann siad muid léi; tá siad fite fuaite inár gcultúr, agus tá ról tábhachtach le himirt acu i bhforbairt ár bhféiniúlachta. Táthar ag tuar go rachaidh idir 50% go 90% de theangacha dúchais ar ceal faoi cheann céad eile bliain. Is iomaí iarracht a rinne muidne ar an oileán seo ár dteanga dhúchais a athbheochan — iarrachtaí ar éirigh go maith leo. Iarrachtaí ar nós bhunú Chonradh na Gaeilge sa bhliain 1893, iarrachtaí leithéidí Dhúbhghlais de Híde agus Phádraig Mhic Phiarais, go foghlaim na Gaeilge i gcásanna na Ceise Fada. Tá athbheochan úr faoi lán seoil anois i seomraí mar seo, i seomraí ranga, i gclubthithe de chuid Chumann Lúthchleas Gael, agus in amharclanna agus i hallaí ceolchoirme. Go raibh athbheochan na Gaeilge ina réalta eolais ag teangacha eile mionlaigh atá ag streachailt le fanacht beo. Seo í teachtaireacht shoiléir Lá Idirnáisiúnta na Máthairtheangacha: beatha teanga í a labhairt.
290 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Assessment
Jev’s structured answers met the documented threshold for “not flagged”.
- Overall probability that the activity is being used to promote, exploit or escalate an identity-based controversy: 0.11 (flagging needs at least 0.70; at or below 0.30 is not flagged).
- None of the five culture-war criteria was met (each was below 0.60).
- No identity-based framing was identified (0.88).
- Subject area: Irish language, Ulster-Scots and language policy.
- The overall probability was at or below the not-flagging threshold.
This is an AI-generated assessment of the text, made against published criteria. It is not a finding of fact about the MLA or their intentions. The Assembly record itself is the fact.
Jev’s structured answers
| Question | Probability | Met? |
|---|---|---|
| Identity framing | 0.35 | No |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.03 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.49 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.03 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.09 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.14 | No |
| Overall judgement | 0.11 | At or below not-flagging threshold |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing (chosen) | 0.88 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.06 |
| Adopts it | 0.06 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| Irish language, Ulster-Scots and language policy | 1.00 |
| No identity-related subject | 0.00 |
| Flags, emblems, symbols, names and memorials | 0.00 |
| Parades, bonfires and commemorations | 0.00 |
| Sport (including the GAA), the arts and cultural bodies | 0.00 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 11:55 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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