Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 18 June 2020

Special Committee on Covid-19 Response

State's Response to Impact of Covid-19 on Gaeltacht Areas and the Islands

Photo of Seán KyneSeán Kyne (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

If there were to be restrictions, I could see that they would have a valid case for a package. I imagine that is something the task force on tourism will examine. However, the advice has to come from NPHET and be agreed at Cabinet. There is a view among a majority of business owners that they wish to reopen and, importantly, get a decision quickly. I agree with them on that in that I wish that we could get to that point. I hope that NPHET can come forward with the advice and that we can make an announcement on that.

Second, with regard to learning Irish and the immersion aspect, the Deputy is correct. The coláistí samhraidh in the Gaeltacht areas are hugely important and it is a pity that they are not available this year. As well as the craic and spraoí that youngsters get out of that, and the friendships, they are important in terms of appreciating that many people speak Irish on a daily basis and not just in an education setting. It is good to see that as part of a community. The supports we have put in place for the coláistí samhraidh and the mná tí this year will ensure that there will be courses next year, assuming there is no pandemic but we all hope that will not happen, that the coláistí samhraidh will be viable, that the mná tí will be available to cater for students, and that the students can attend.

Regarding the next stages, there is a good scheme, although numbers are limited for many reasons, whereby ten pupils come from different parts of the country to spend a year on the Aran Islands attending school. That is full immersion. The concern regarding that scheme is that there might be an impact on the spoken language on the islands, but that does not seem to happen. Based on leaving certificate results, there does not seem to be any negative impact on the education of the islanders and it hugely improves the language skills of those people suddenly immersed in the language, whether they are from Dublin, Cork or wherever.

Conradh na Gaeilge, other groups and the coláistí samhraidh are looking at online courses as well. I am sure those will be announced in due course, at which point we can send a note to Deputies who may have an interest in this area. I reiterate that everything we have done in this area has been to try to ensure that these important resources are available once the pandemic is over, and that we continue to have viable companies and mná tí.

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