BBC Northern Ireland set to cut Irish language staff by more than half

BBC Northern Ireland is to cut its Irish language staff by more than half, leaving its flagship Irish language programme under threat and just two full-time roles remaining, The Irish News understands.

The cuts come as part of BBC Northern Ireland’s plan to save around £4.1 million by the end of 2027/28, amid £500 million in savings across the BBC.

It is understood the broadcaster’s Irish language unit will go from five full-time staff to two, with four posts being axed and one new role added to the team.

The staff being made redundant are thought to be three Irish language producers and an Irish language assistant content producer

A new role, also believed to be a production position, is set to be created with additional work also outsourced to independent production firms.

The Blas magazine programme, the network’s flagship Irish language show, is believed to be under threat as a result of the staffing cuts.

It has been broadcasting on the BBC since 1998.

BBC NI had previously said it intended to close around 50 full-time equivalent posts.

A voluntary redundancy scheme launched in early summer delivered about half of those.

Despite this, the corporation insists its spending and output on Irish will remain unchanged.

In its public announcement this week, the corporation said: “A significantly increased % of Irish language programming (across the BBC’s radio and digital platforms, including learning resources) will be sourced from the independent sector, with a consequent reduction in BBC staffing in this area.

“BBC expenditure on Irish and output totals on BBC Radio Ulster/Foyle will remain unchanged. And these plans include the retention of senior in-house staff roles for Irish language services and their integration within a single, cross-platform strategy.”

However, Conradh na Gaeilge said the cuts would be “devastating” for Irish language broadcasting in the north.

Ciarán Mac Giolla Bhéin, the organisation’s president, said: “At a time where the Irish language is going through phenomenal growth across society, between Irish-medium education, adult classes, families using Irish in the home, it is difficult to comprehend any logic or rationale to cut 60% of the BBC’s Irish language team whilst the Irish language audience is growing and expecting increased provision.

“Those levels of cuts, to what is an award-winning broadcast team within the BBC’s Irish Language Unit, will be devastating to the Irish language in broadcasting here in the north, and seem to be entirely disproportionate to the cuts taking place elsewhere within the BBC. We cannot imagine any other sector, team or unit is facing a 60% staffing cut.”

Mr Mac Giolla Bhéin said Irish was already “the poor cousin” among the BBC’s indigenous languages.

“As things sat prior to these cuts, the Irish language was already the poor cousin in the context of BBC’s provision for our indigenous languages,” he said.

“In Wales, there are two bespoke Welsh language radio stations, in Scotland, BBC Radio nan Gàidheal broadcasts for at least 90 hours a week and has an annual budget of £3.7 million.

“Here, there is no Irish language BBC station. None. And now BBC are cutting 60% of the team providing that already limited service. They should be ashamed.”

And Mr Mac Giolla Bhéin added: “We would remind the BBC, and in particular the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, of their duties under the Good Friday Agreement, namely to take ‘resolute action’ to promote the Irish language.”

A BBC spokesperson said: “We remain fully committed to BBC programmes and services in Irish and want to develop them further.

“Our plans are intended to deliver increased Irish language output on BBC Radio Ulster/Foyle and to develop new ways of working with the independent production sector – reflecting equivalent arrangements for BBC television programmes in Irish. We know that these changes are difficult for the BBC staff involved and will want to work closely with them on this transition and in identifying new opportunities for BBC services in Irish.”