Dr. Ríona Ní Fhrighil:

I will respond to Senator Healy Eames. If a native Irish speaker being raised outside the Gaeltacht does not get into the local gaelscoil, whether at primary or secondary level, the problem is not just that the child does not get into the school of their choice, they do not get an education of their choice through their native language. If a child for whom English is the mother tongue does not get into an English language school of their choice they will be educated nonetheless through English and will not be disadvantaged. If, for example, my first child does not get into the local gaelscoil it makes our effort at home much more difficult. All the research shows that his proficiency will drop off dramatically in a short space of time if Irish is used only in the home domain. There is a difference between a school of choice and an education of choice.

I mentioned Scoil Chaitlín Maude, which has reserved 10% of places for other linguistic and cultural minorities. We as a group, Cearta Oideachais, have no problem with that being standard because we welcome diversity and multiculturalism. In raising our children in a language that is not the language of the community we endorse that. We are putting our money where a map is. I have no experience of report cards yet.

In response to Senator Ó Clochartaigh, it is obvious that if we do not look after the native Irish speakers being raised outside the Gaeltacht, who depend on the gaelscoil to promote their use of the language outside of the home, so that they learn to socialise through the medium of the language, we are looking at a very dismal future. We all agree that we need to support the next generation of Irish-speaking children if in 20 years time we are to have a language and if anybody will need to access State services through the medium of Irish. All of the research, including the comprehensive sociolinguistic analysis of the Gaeltacht published in 2005 by Ó Giollacháin and Mac Donacha paints a very bleak picture if we do not look after the native Irish speakers inside and outside the Gaeltacht. Irish language speakers in the gaelscoil system are not only a minority but also a very important resource.

All of us who are au fait with research in education since the 1970s, from Vygotsky on, realise that peer learning and scaffolding are very important. These children are the bridge between their peers who are learning through their second language, or in some cases their third or fourth language, and those for whom Irish is the first language. It is important to remember that Irish medium education should be an education of choice. We do not want anybody to be forced to learn through their second, third or fourth language but those for whom Irish is a first language are a vital resource in the system and we must see that they are supported and that they support the system.