Minister for the Gaeltacht Éamon Ó Cuív has been criticised for the manner in which he abolished a State board late last week.
The decision to transfer the functions of Bord na Leabhar Gaeilge, the Irish Language Books Board, to Foras na Gaeilge, the all-island language development body, was announced by the Minister last Friday after a North/ South language body sectoral meeting in Newry, Co Down.
Mr Ó Cuív and the North's Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure Edwin Poots issued a joint statement on a number of cross-Border language development issues, including the future of book-publishing support.
Mr Ó Cuív described it as a "hugely positive step for Irish language book publishing in that it will bring together in one organisation the full range of supports available to the sector".
Funding of €960,000 for Bord na Leabhar Gaeilge in 2006 had been increased to €1.819 million this year, Mr Ó Cuív said.
"These new arrangements will ensure more cohesive supports for Irish language book publishing," he added.
Bord na Leabhar Gaeilge was established in 1952 as a non-statutory State body to assist writers and publishers in supplying Irish language material for the general public.
The current board was appointed in 2004.
Board members who say they were not notified of the decision in advance have accused Mr Ó Cuív of discourtesy and of failing to appreciate their efforts.
Pádraic Ó Neachtáin, one of the members, said the board had been in considerable administrative disarray when he and colleagues were appointed.
"It was the administrative equivalent of Vietnam," Mr Ó Neachtáin said, but he and his colleagues had put it on a firm footing over the past three years.
Initiatives undertaken by the board included a new awards scheme which would be a highlight at Oireachtas na Gaeilge in Westport, Co Mayo next week- end, he added. "We worked very hard and then we heard through Irish language media last Friday afternoon that the decision had been made to disband the board. It hadn't been discussed, and there was no inkling of it.
"The fact that we weren't consulted shows a serious disregard for a State board by a Government Minister," Mr Ó Neachtáin said.
He recognised that disbandment was the Minister's prerogative, but the manner in which it was effected was "disrespectful".
