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NORTHERN IRELAND’S COMMUNITIES Minister has said he’s found the necessary funding to continue an Irish language scheme for students – just weeks after withdrawing it and hours before a public protest.
Before Christmas Paul Givan, who’s a member of the DUP, announced that the funding would be withdrawn due to ‘efficiency savings’.
According to the BBC, an email was sent out on the night before Christmas Eve telling employees “Because of efficiency savings, the department will not be providing the Líofa bursary scheme in 2017. Happy Christmas and Happy New Year.”
The Stormont Assembly’s former communities minister has gone back on that decision early this morning, after sending the following tweet:
A protest is scheduled for today at 12.30pm, where a boiler, representing the ‘cash for ash’ scandal, will be placed outside the Communities department in Belfast.
The protest is organised by An Dream Dearg who are protesting against actions taken by Stormont that they feel are insulting the Irish language.
This includes former Education Minister Peter Weir (DUP) removing funding for Irish schools and blocking the construction of new Gaelscoileanna.
Previous minister John O’Dowd (Sinn Féin) had announced a number of Gaelscoil renovations during his tenure, which was criticised by DUP members and supporters as favouritism and ‘an obsession’ with the Irish language.
Supporters of the Dream Dearg campaign have changed their profile pictures to a red icon with a white circle – including Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams and two Olympic boxers.
An Dream Dearg spokesperson Ciarán Mac Giolla Bhéin said public support “ultimately left the Minister with no choice but to restore the Líofa Gaeltacht Bursary scheme this morning”.
“The Irish language community are no longer willing to accept being treated as second class citizens. Eighteen years after the Good Friday Agreement and more than 10 years since the commitment to an Irish Language Act, the Irish-language community are [angry] at the repeated failure of authorities to protect and promote our rights.
We are not asking for any special concession or privilege, but to be treated with respect and dignity. This can only be delivered through enshrined legislation that secures our rights as Irish speakers.
The Líofa Bursary Scheme gives up to £50,000 a year to up to 100 students ”who might not otherwise have had the chance to go to a Gaeltacht”.
The scheme is open to students of “all traditions and backgrounds”, and has been in operation for five years.
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Not too often you stick something into a bin and it comes out smelling of roses.
Lucky for them..I tend to rip them up in Anger……
So wait this is the third story I’ve heard in the last week about thrown away lotto tickets coming good by anonymous people. Hmmm……
Enough with the thinking there Deborah, just buy a €10 quickpick and you’ll be grand
Don’t forget to stick it in the bin too to ensure a win!
I always use the machine. The clicking noise … The silence … The trying again … The clicking … The trying the other ticket … The clicking … The beep … The pause … Not a winner. Sigh. Back to the first ticket.
Clever marketing perhaps !!!
So they paid for a lotto plus ticket, checked the main draw, didn’t win so threw it in the bin and not bother looking at lotto plus draws, a hear now are they having a laugh, i no if i paid for a lotto plus ticket I’d be inclined to check the numbers.
Sifting through my bin when I go home…You never know…
Sitting in your bin locked on wine
Seems irresponsible to me. It’s so easy to check tickets with apps & scanners these days, dumping a 6 figure prize is just stupidity in the extreme
looking for their 15 minutes of fame as well.
Their fifteen minutes of anonymous fame.
You’d be surprised. Look at some commenters who fish for likes and are likely called “The Fish”.
No, they’re looking for their quarter of a million euro.
Bin lotto and mushrooms be good right now I’ll settle for binshrooms
Right I’m going to do the lotto. Stick it in the bin, cover it in non recyclables. Wait till full and fish it out. Seems to be lucky these days
Image from Shutterstock/PeJo? You could of easily taken a picture yourself of an Irish Lotto Ticket.
The lotto app is great, you can scan your ticket and find out you’re still a peasant alot quicker
Yay for 250k, but would still have to go to work in the morning.
have your say