THE Department of Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht is to widen an inquiry into the effectiveness of Irish language organisations to include Bord na Gaeilge, Uinsionn Mac Dubhghaill Irish Language Editor, reports.
The Minister, Mr Higgins, set up a five member commission early in the year to examine the "role, structure and efficiency" of the voluntary language organisations, which receive annual grants from the State. Delays in the publication of its report provoked angry exchanges in the Dail last week.
Comhdhail Naisiunta na Gaeilge, the co ordinating body for the voluntary sector, has previously called for the inquiry to be widened to include State bodies, such as Bord na Gaeilge, An Gum and Institiuid Teangeolaiochta Eireann, as well as the Department of Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht itself.
It described State interventions on behalf of the language as unfocused and poorly coordinated.
The expanded terms of reference instruct the commission to "examine the present role of Bord na Gaeilge and the future role proper to it (if such is the view of the commission) in regard to the voluntary Irish language organisations".
They also instruct it to "make recommendations, if necessary, in relation to changes in the objectives of the board".
Mr Higgins said that "in the interest of clarity and to assist the commission in its work", he had accepted a request from it to expand the terms of reference to include Bord na Gaeilge. He expected to receive the commission's recommendations shortly.
Bord na Gaeilge was set up in 1978 under legislation which defined its role as extending the use of Irish.