Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Wednesday, 30 June 2021

Joint Committee on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Irish Speaking Community

Múinteoirí Nuacháilithe agus a gCaighdeáin Gaeilge, Deontais le hÁbhar Oidí a thabhairt faoi Thréimhsí Foghlama sa Ghaeltacht mar chuid dá n-Oiliúint agus Curaclaim nua na hardteistiméireachta T1 agus T2: An Roinn Oideachais.

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Caithfidh mé a rá ar dtús go bhfuilim ag éisteacht leis na tuairimí agus na pointí a cuireadh os mo chomhair anseo inniu ó thaobh T1 agus T2. Ní amháin sin, táim sásta éisteacht leis na pointí difriúla atá ag daoine eile. Tiocfaidh sé sin chugam trí mheán an phróisis atá faoi lán seoil ag an bpointe seo.

As I have said, I am happy to have heard members’ points and thoughts - different and all as they might be - today. It is important that I hear all the other points and opinions that will come my way through the consultation process. I have a few points in relation to that. The consultation process was extended largely because of the impact of Covid which did not allow engagement and discussion around this proposal. Why this proposal is on the table is largely due to the fact that the differentiated Irish language curricula for Irish in Irish-medium and English-medium schools have been in place at primary level for a long time and at junior cycle since 2017. It is, therefore, an addition which has progressed from that, and why we are referring T1 agus T2.

In terms of the review of the junior cycle, I acknowledge it was impacted by Covid. It is intended that there will be a review of T1 agus T2 from the junior cycle point of view before the end of the year. This will inform further considerations of the process as well. I appreciate the points made by different speakers in terms of the impetus or encouragement for people and all of that, but that is part of a later discussion. What is out for consultation here is the essence of T1 agus T2, which will conclude at the end of the year, notwithstanding the break caused by Covid. It will be at that point an jab a beidh agam ná na tuairimí go léir a bhailiú le chéile, to gather them all and to consider what will have come through the process and all the other people with whom I will have engaged with. We will take it from there.

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