Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

That process may well have begun at primary school level. It is a two-year intervention.

We have strong distributed leadership in our schools. One in three staff members within our schools are now post holders. Many of them hold posts in the area of special education. It is not a unilateral decision made by the principal, and nor would I want it to be. It is a shared decision which is made after a series of interventions over a long period of time. The best judgment is made by the staff members who are the experts in the field and engage every single day with the student. This would obviously take place under the leadership of the principal and that is right and proper.

I have referenced all of the various interventions, initiatives, strategies and supports within my Department to encourage staff with Irish. We provide, fund and support a bachelor of education degree for teachers and a master's degree for teachers. There is ongoing professional development. An extraordinary body of work is faoi lán seol in the Department to support, nurture and grow the Irish language. There has to be a recognition that out of 1 million students, there will be some who identify with a difficulty here. The exemption is offered to ensure they get the maximum opportunity to engage in school. As I have said previously, it is an exemption that is only offered after significant intervention.