COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF ARTS, CULTURE, GAEILGE, HERITAGE AND LIBRARIES SPC

Wednesday, February 03, 2021

HEADED ITEM NO.

HEADED ITEM: F. Nevin

H-I (5) Coiste na Gaeilge/Irish Language Committee – agreed at January Council.

REPLY:

Following Council consideration of the below motion and report at the January Council meeting, it was agreed that the Irish language committee would operate as a sub-committee of the Arts, Culture, Heritage and Libraries SPC, and that the SPC would agree the purpose and terms of reference of this committee. 

MOTION: Councillor Peter Kavanagh

This Council agrees to establish a "Coiste na Gaeilge"/Irish Language Committee comprised of elected members and representatives from the executive to oversee the promotion of the Irish Language within the County and to ensure that Council is an example of best practice in the use of Irish.

REPORT:

The SPC Scheme 2019 – 2024 sets out the structure, membership and number of SPC's. It was developed in 2019 following a period of consultation with the elected members, the PPN and other representative bodies as well as the general public and was adopted by the Council at its meeting in October 2019. The scheme lasts for the duration of the current Council until 2024.

The purpose of the Strategic Policy Committees is to:

• assist the Council in the formulation, development, and review of policy;
• reflect the major functions or services of a local authority within the broader context;
• be tailored to the size, membership and administrative resources of a local authority but generally be four in number; and
• have one third of their membership drawn from sectors relevant to the committees’ work.

The Departmental Guidelines state that SPC's should generally be four in number while accepting that the Dublin local authorities may warrant additional SPC's. Accordingly, SDCC has six SPC's:

• Economic Development, Enterprise & Tourism
• Land use Transportation and Planning
• Social and Community
• Environment, Public Realm & Climate Change
• Housing
• Arts, Culture, Gaeilge, Heritage and Libraries

The SPCs bring together both elected members, and people actively working with social, economic, cultural and environmental bodies to develop and review policies related to council services, and is supported by the executive.

South Dublin County Council has included Gaeilge in each SPC scheme since their establishment in 2001. The Arts, Culture, Gaeilge, Heritage and Libraries Strategic Policy Committee is the vehicle through which the aims of the motion are achieved.