Government must 'put its money where its mouth is' to ensure survival of Manx language

European Charter calls for action on new recommendations

The Isle of Man Government cannot rely on volunteers and motivated individuals who are dedicated to the Manx language to promote it. 

That’s the call being made by experts from the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages which looks at protecting Cornish, Manx Gaelic, Irish, Scottish Gaelic and Welsh.

It says government must ‘put its money where its mouth is’ and has urged it to implement a number of recommendations.

The committee wants to see the use of Manx Gaelic extended in pre-school and primary education.

It’s also calling for a teacher training programme to be established to ensure the long-term availability of teachers to guarantee Manx Gaelic education.

Other recommendations include:

- Developing measurable indicators for the Manx Gaelic 2022-2032 strategy to ensure progress can be adequately assessed, and actions modified accordingly, and ensure allocated funding to implement its actions

- Setting up a supervisory body responsible for monitoring the progress of Manx Gaelic education

- Promoting the study of and research on Manx Gaelic in universities or equivalent institutions

- Making available the most important national statutory texts in Manx Gaelic

- Making provisions to facilitate the broadcasting of private television programmes in Manx Gaelic

- Taking measures to encourage the publication of newspaper articles in Manx Gaelic

- Supporting the training of Manx Gaelic journalists in order to ensure long-term media availability in the language

- Putting forward measures to facilitate and/or encourage the use of Manx Gaelic in economic and social life

Professor Vesna Crnic-Grotic and Professor Rob Dunbar make up part of the committee which has put forward the recommendations:

In response, the Department of Education, Sport and Culture says: “the Isle of Man has invested significantly in ensuring the survival and revival of Manx Gaelic over recent decades. 

"The department supports Bunscoill Ghaelgagh, the Manx medium primary school at St John’s, while Manx Gaelic is offered in all primary schools. 

“Of course any future expansion will have to be balanced against other demands on government but I look forward to reading the report and discussing its findings with officers, Culture Vannin and grass roots organisations, who do so much to increase and promote the use of Manx in the community.”

You can read the full report here.

You can listen to the full interview with the professors in this episode of NEWSCAST: