'Foinse' seeks cash injection to survive

THE ONLY Irish-language newspaper in existence, Foinse , says it may cease publication after this weekend with the possible loss of 10 full-time and two part-time jobs in the Conamara Gaeltacht, unless it receives more funding from the cross-Border Irish language promotion body, Foras na Gaeilge.

The paper’s owner, Pádraig Ó Céidigh, said in a statement that he had informed staff yesterday at the Carraroe-based weekly that he had refused to accept a new contract from Foras na Gaeilge, because of the amount of money involved.

He will have an emergency meeting with the funders today about the newspaper which was founded in 1996. He said that unless some ‘‘solution’’ was found, this weekend’s edition would be the last.

Speaking to The Irish Times , Seán Clancy, chief executive of the paper’s publisher, Móinéar Teo, said that while they were not looking to make a profit from the venture they could not sustain the losses which could be as much as €200,000 by August.

He said Foinse was losing money every week and its advertising income was down 75 per cent. Recently, staff and freelance contributors had voted to accept a 10 per cent cut in pay in order to help keep costs down.

Mr Clancy said that the paper had won a contract from Foras na Gaeilge to continue publishing, but that the offer of €355,000 per annum was less than the €400,000 originally available and that it was not sufficient. Foinse was selling 4,000 issues a week and barely covering its costs, he said.

A spokesman for Foras na Gaeilge said that they had offered Móinéar Teo a substantial increase in funding. They would discuss the details of the contract and would address any questions Móinéar had through that discussion.