Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas leis na witnesses who attended today. I wish I were able mo cheisteanna a chur as Gaeilge but I do not have the same bravery as Deputy O'Rourke. That said, if Carmel Nic Airt was on the scene back in 1987 - I missed her by a few years - when I went to national school in Clonakilty, it may have all been so different. I can attest to the fact that many of my nieces and nephews - three from one family and some who are in the Gaelscoil in Clonakilty at the moment - attended the Gaelscoil when Carmel Nic Airt was principal there and the difference it made was incredible. Obviously, they were fluent in Irish but it was not just the language element of it; it was also the inclusivity, the approach to teaching and the music. That is not to be critical of the other national schools in the areas which also obviously promoted music but, for example, when I was in national school we got an hour of tin whistle in the whole six years I was there, whereas in the Gaelscoil, it was a completely different approach. All three of my nieces and nephews went on to study and have careers in music and it is testament to the success of Gaelscoileanna, especially in primary school. It is a real shame that when they graduated from national school, they did not have the option to go on and study Irish in secondary school. I am not fully aware of their knowledge of the language. I am sure it is still with them, but certainly they do not use it as much as they would want. I guarantee they would be one of that 77% who said they would like to continue their education in Irish right into secondary school. To come to that point, was it 77% of parents who said that they would like to continue their education in Irish, given the chance, as opposed to students?