Dáithí Mac Cárthaigh

Ag cur a hata sa chró

Le hÉamann Mac Mánais
 
Beidh Dáithí Mac Cárthaigh, Uachtarán Chonradh na Gaeilge “ag cur a hata sa chró” do Thoghchán Seanad Éireann i mbliana.  Ó thaobh polasaithe de, cuireann Dáithí ceist na Gaeilge ar bharr a liosta agus bhí sé i láthair an seachtain seo caite nuair a thainig thart fá 4,000 duine amach ar na sráideanna i mBéal Feirste ag éilimh cearta teanga, cearta daonna.
Tá naoi dtosaócht ag Dáithí;
1.  An líon scoláirí sa rang a laghdú go dtí an meánfhigiúr OECD (20) agus oll-infheistíocht san oideachas; 
2. Múineadh teangacha ar scoil, Gaeilge san áireamh, a fheabhsú le múineadh tríd an sprioctheanga agus le hoiliúint, háiseanna agus tacaíocht chuí chuige sin; 
3. Tabhairt faoin neamhlitearthacht fheidhmeach i gcomhair le fostóirí agus leis na ceardchumainn;
4. Cláir Rochtana, Cianoideachas, agus Oideachas 2ú Deise a chur chun cinn go diongmháilte ag an 3ú leibhéal ; 
5. Reachtaíocht chearta-bhunaithe um mhíchumas, rochtain oideachais san áireamh;
6. Fóirdheontais mhéadaithe ar son fuinnimh inchothaithe (ar nós mhuileann gaoithe IT Dhún Dealgan) agus chun athrú go bith-bhreosla, agus oll-infheistíocht sa chóras iompair poiblí (ar nós iarnróid a thógáil comhthreomhar le bóithre nua); 
7. Polasaí eachtrach tiomanta do Cheannas an Dlí agus Chearta an Duine. Trádáil Chothrom agus Mhicreo-bhancáil (mioniasachtaí gan urra ar ús íseal do daoine aonair) á gcothú ag Cúnaimh Éireann agus go gcaithfí 0.7% den OTN ar chúnamh thar lear mar atá geallta;
8. Maidir le cionta gnéis: treoirlínte cuimsitheacha um phianbhreitheanna; cealú cheart an chúisí láithriú thar a cheann féin; an gearánach a chur ar an eolas sara scaoiltear saor an cúisí/coirpeach; 
9. Iallach ar “deoraithe cánach” a thuileann os cionn €500,000 sa bhliain an difríocht idir cáin na hÉireann agus an cháin thall a íoc faoi mar a tharlaíonn le saoránaigh Mheiriceá a chónaíonn thar sáile.

Ag labhairt leis thar an guthán agus é amuigh ag stocaireacht dúirt an t-Iarrthóir-
“Is iarrthóir neamhspleách mé, Tá mé ag stocaireachta ar son feabhsuithe ó bhí mé mar Uachtarán ar Chomhaltas na Mac Léinn Ollscoil na Gaillimhe. Is mise Uachtarán Chonradh na Gaeilge agus bhí baint lárnach agam leis an bhfeachtas a bhain stádas mar theanga oifigiúil den AE amach don Ghaeilge.  Cuir glór fuinniúil nua isteach sa Seanad a bhfuil taithí aige ar fheabhsuithe a bhaint amach.  Vótáil Uimhir 1 Dáithí Mac Cárthaigh . .” arsa sé.
Chomh maith le sin, agus ag caint go pearsanta,  nauir a bhí mé féin ag déanamh taighde don alt seo thug mé faoi deara nach bhfuil mórán daoine ó na sé chontae a chaith am sna hollscoilleanna cláraithe don thoghchán; mar shampla in Aontroim níl ann ach 77 graduates cláraithe.  Bá chóir d’achan iar-mhac léann a bheith cláraithe go mbeadh rud beag cuntasacht dhaonlathach sa Seanad.
Dáithí Mac Cárthaigh, Conradh Na Gaeilge president shall be throwing his hat into the Seanad elections ring.  Regarding policies Dáithí puts the Irish language campaign to the fore of his agenda.  Dáithí was present at the Irish language rally in Belfast last week where over 4,000 people came out on the streets to demand language rights, human rights.
Daithí has nine priorities:
1. Reduction of class sizes to the OECD average (20) and major investment in education.
2. Reform of language teaching, including Irish, in schools by teaching through the target languages and proper training, resources and support to that end.
3. Tackling functional illiteracy in conjunction with employers and trade unions
4. Resolute promotion of Access Programmes, Distance Learning and 2nd Chance Education at 3rd level.
5. Rights based disability legislation, including meaningful access to education.
6. Increased financial aid for sustainable energy initiatives (such as the wind turbine at IT Dundalk), conversion to bio-fuel, and major investment in the public transport system (such as rail lines being built in parallel with new roads)
7. A foreign policy committed to the Rule of Law and Human Rights. Irish Aid to promote Fair Trade and Micro Banking (small unsecured loans at low interest to individuals) and the honouring of Ireland’s commitment to spend 0.7% of our GNP on overseas aid.
8. In relation to sexual offences: comprehensive sentencing guidelines; the withdrawal of the accused’s right to represent himself; and notification to complainants in advance of the release from custody of the accused/offender.
9. Obliging “tax exiles” who earn over €500,000 p.a. to pay the difference between their Irish and foreign tax bills to the Irish exchequer as is the case for American citizens.

Speaking to An Phoblacht while on the hustings to Dáithí said:
“I am an independant candidate, I have been lobbying for reform since I was President of NUI Galway Students’ Union. I am President of Conradh na Gaeilge and was centrally involved in the campaign which gained recognition for Irish as an official EU language.”
Speaking personally, while doing research for this article, it is of interest that few people who attended universities from the six counties are registed to vote in the Seanad elections.  For example on 77 names are registed for the election form County Antrim.  Given the democratic deficit in elections to the Seanad and the need to increase the all-Ireland input into the Oireachtas generally, it is important that Six County graduates claim their vote.