Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I will pass over to the witnesses, but I will first ask a question myself. I hope that the witnesses do not mind if I ask it in English. Deputy Breathnach spoke about the language diminishing here in the Twenty-six Counties, yet there seems to be a huge demand for children to go to Gaelscoileanna. In my own constituency and in my own county, there is at least double what the school can take in applying for places every single year. Obviously, the witnesses would see that as a good thing. Do they see that as a positive in terms of the language diminishing while people are sending their kids to Gaelscoileanna? Do they see any sort of connection between the two? What is the demand for Gaelscoileanna in the Six Counties? Is it in any way similar? I do not imagine that the demand is the exact same, but is it increasing?