Irish speaking children in the Upper Springfield area are raising the roof over the lack of Irish language TV programmes on the BBC.
Pobal, an umbrella group which raises the profile of the Irish language, has organised a letter and art project in conjunction with three Gaelscoileanna (Irish speaking schools) to highlight the lack of commitment to Irish programming in the BBC's charter.
The children from these three schools will be drawing pictures of what they would like to see in Irish on the BBC.
Their work will be used for an exhibition to highlight the campaign for the same rights to be afforded to Irish speakers as are given to both Welsh and Gaidhlig speakers.
Cormac Ó Briain, development worker with Pobal, said, "We are working with the schools to show the need for Irish language programmes to be shown on television and this comes hot on the heels of the release by the British government of a Green Paper on the BBC Charter."
The charter is only changed once every ten years and at the minute contains no reference to the Irish language in the document or to the duty of the BBC in the North in relation to Irish language broadcasting.
There are, however, significant references to the BBC's duty in relation to Welsh and Scots Gaidhlig. The BBC are currently inviting the public to make comments on their charter and Pobal are asking people to reply before May 31 asking the BBC where they stand on Irish language.
This can be done via their website by e-mail, or by post: BBC Charter Review Consultation, Department for Culture Media and Sport, 2-4 Cockspur Street, London, SW1Y 5DH.
