Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Fuarthas leithscéalta ó na comhaltaí seo a leanas: an Teachta Aisling Dempsey agus an Seanadóir Shane Curley. Cuirim fáilte roimh gach éinne. Iarraim ar aon duine atá ag freastal ar an gcruinniú go cianda a micreafóin a mhúchadh nuair nach bhfuil siad ag labhairt leis an gcruinniú sa dóigh nach mbeadh aon torann le cloisteáil sa chúlra nó aon aisfhotha ann. Mar is gnáth, meabhraím dóibh siúd atá i láthair a chinntiú go bhfuil a ngutháin phóca ar mhód ciúin nó múchtar go hiomlán. Meabhraím do na comhaltaí atá i láthair go cianda na ceanglais bhunreachtúla nach mór dóibh a bheith i láthair go fisiciúil laistigh de theorannacha choimpléasc Theach Laighean chun páirt a ghlacadh i seisiún poiblí.

Ós rud é go bhfuil na finnéithe laistigh de phurláin Theach Laighean, tá siad faoi chosaint ag pribhléid iomlán maidir leis an gcur i láthair a dhéanfaidh siad don chomhchoiste. Ciallaíonn sé seo go bhfuil cosaint iomlán acu i gcoinne aon chúiseamh clúmhillte mar gheall ar rud a deir siad ag an gcruinniú. Mar sin féin, bítear ag súil nach mbainfeadh siad mí-úsáid as an bpribhléid seo. Mar Chathaoirleach, tá sé de dhualgas orm a chinntiú nach mbainfear mí-úsáid as an bpribhléid seo. Dá bhrí sin, más rud é go bhfuil ábhar a bhféadfadh a bheith clúmhillteach do dhuine nó eintiteas aitheantas, iarrfar ar na finnéithe deireadh a chur leis na ráitis sin. Tá sé ríthábhachtach go gcloíonn siad le haon ordú den tsórt sin.

Meabhraím do chomhaltaí freisin an dea-chleachtas parlaiminte seanbhunaithe nár chóir dóibh trácht a dhéanamh ar dhuine nó ar eintiteas lasmuigh de na Tithe nó ar oifigeach de chuid na dTithe, cáineadh a dhéanamh air nó uirthi ná líomhaintí a dhéanamh ina aghaidh nó ina haghaidh ina ainm, ina hainm nó ar shlí ina bhféadfaí é nó í a aithint.

An chéad mhír atá ar gclár oibre inniu ná an t-oideachas Gaeilge agus an t-oideachas trí mheán na Gaeilge. Cuirim fáilte mhór roimh na hoifigigh seo a leanas atá linn inniu: Gavan O'Leary, rúnaí cúnta, an Roinn Oideachais agus Óige; Sinéad Tuohy, stiúrthóir, An Chomhairle Náisiúnta Curaclaim agus Measúnachta, CNCM; Aoife Ní Mháille, stiúrthóir rannáin an GhaelAonaid, Oide; Jacqueline Ní Fhearghusa, príomhfheidhmeannach, An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta, COGG; Jean O'Mahony, príomhoifigeach tánaisteach agus ceann aonaid an ardoideachais, foghlaimeoirí agus scileanna, An Roinn Breisoideachais, Ardoideachais, Taighde, Nuálaíochta agus Eolaíochta; agus an Dr. Jack Gleeson, oifigeach Gaeilge, oifigeach feidhmiúcháin straitéiseach, An tÚdarás um Ard-Oideachas, UAO. Iarraim anois ar na hoifigigh a ráitis tosaigh a thabhairt. Beidh cúig nóiméad ag gach duine agus i ndiaidh sin tógfaimid ceisteanna ó na comhaltaí. Tosóimid le Gavan O'Leary.

Mr. Gavan O'Leary:

Gabhaim buíochas leis an gComhchoiste um Oideachais agus Óige as an deis an t-ábhar seo, an Ghaeilge agus an t-oideachas lánGhaeilge, a phlé. Is rúnaí cúnta mé sa Roinn Oideachais agus Óige agus táim anseo inniu le hionadaithe ón gComhairle Náisiúnta Curaclaim agus Measúnachta; Oide; agus an Chomhairle Um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta. Tá ionadaithe anseo freisin ón Roinn Breisoideachais, Ardoideachais, Taighde, Nuálaíochta agus Eolaíochta, agus ón Údarás um Ard-Oideachas.

Tá cur chun cinn na Gaeilge ar ceann de phríomhthosaíochtaí na Roinne Oideachais agus Óige. Ritheann seo le straitéis 20 bliain den Ghaeilge an Rialtais agus leis na gealltanais don Ghaeilge i gclár an Rialtais. Tá ár dtiomantas don Ghaeilge le feiceáil sna cuspóirí i ráiteas straitéise na Roinne ina bhfuil sé mar aidhm againn cur chuige cuimsitheach agus meonta dearfacha i leith na Gaeilge a chothú, lena n-áirítear úsáid na Gaeilge agus an taitneamh a bhaintear as an nGaeilge a mhéadú i scoileanna meán-Bhéarla, agus tacú le soláthar oideachais ardchaighdeán trí Ghaeilge i suíomhanna lánGhaeilge agus Gaeltachta. Maidir leis seo, déanann an Roinn infheistíocht shuntasach sa Ghaeilge agus san oideachas lánGhaeilge. Tá forbairtí leanúnacha ann maidir le teagasc, foghlaim agus measúnú na Gaeilge i réimsí éagsúla. I measc na réimsí sin tá forbairt polasaí, tacaíocht don oideachas lánGhaeilge, curaclam agus measúnú, oideachas tosaigh múinteoirí, foghlaim gairmiúil múinteoirí agus forbairt acmhainní. Léiríonn agus freagraíonn na forbairtí don Ghaeilge do thorthaí a eascraíonn as taighde, tuarascálacha ón gcigireacht agus comhairliúchán le páirtithe leasmhara. Príomhthosaíocht is ea forbairt inniúlacht cumarsáide daltaí agus scoláirí sa Ghaeilge. Oibríonn an Roinn go dlúth le raon eagraíochtaí lena n-áirítear na heagraíochtaí óna bhfuil ionadaithe anseo inniu, agus eagraíochtaí Gaeilge araon, chun tacú leis an nGaeilge inár scoileanna.

Cloch mhíle shuntasach a bhí ann do mhúineadh, foghlaim agus úsáid na Gaeilge inár scoileanna ná foilsiú Is féidir liom, is féidir linn - Plean Gnímh don Ghaeilge i scoileanna Meán-Bhéarla, agus Polasaí don Oideachas lán-Ghaeilge lasmuigh den Ghaeltacht, i mí na Samhna 2025. Tacaíonn an plean gnímh le scoileanna na sonraíochtaí curaclaim atá ann cheana féin a chur i bhfeidhm. Tá sé seo ar mhaithe le heispéireas foghlama níos fearr a chur ar fáil do dhaltaí agus scoláirí atá ag foghlaim na Gaeilge agus chun úsáid na Gaeilge a mhéadú i measc daltaí agus scoláirí.

Chuir comhairliúchán agus taighde fairsing bonn eolais faoin bplean gnímh. Bhí an polasaí nua don oideachas lánGhaeilge lasmuigh den Ghaeltacht, mar aon leis an bplean gnímh a bhaineann leis, bunaithe ar phróiseas fairsing comhairliúcháin, chomh maith le taighde náisiúnta agus idirnáisiúnta. Leagtar amach sa pholasaí fís na Roinne, is é sin go mbeidh oideachas lánGhaeilge ar ardchaighdeán ar fáil do chách, i suíomhanna cuimsitheacha agus ilchultúrtha. Tá sé mar aidhm ag an bpolasaí ceangal láidir leis an nGaeilge agus leis an gcultúr Gaelach a chothú i measc na scoláirí - rud a chuirfidh ar a gcumas an teanga a úsáid go muiníneach agus go bródúil ar feadh a saoil. Leanann cur i bhfeidhm polasaí na Roinne don oideachas Gaeltachta de bheith ag tacú le húsáid na Gaeilge agus á cur chun cinn i bpobail Ghaeltachta, trí sholáthar oideachais lánGhaeilge a neartú i gceantair Ghaeltachta.

Idir 2020 agus deireadh 2025, tá €513 milliún infheistithe ag an Roinn i dtograí tógála scoile i scoileanna lánGhaeilge. Tá deich togra lánGhaeilge le costas €112 milliún i measc an 105 tionscadal tosaíochta do 2026-27. Tá méadú tagtha ar líon na scoileanna lánGhaeilge ó 272 in 2000, go 302 in 2025. Is méadú de thart ar 11% é seo. Ina theannta sin, cuireann aonaid lánGhaeilge agus samhail satailíte píolótach nua oideachas lánGhaeilge ar fáil do bhreis is 1,400 dalta agus scoláirí ar fud na tíre.

Is í an CNCM, óna bhfuil ionadaithe anseo inniu, atá i gceannas ar na forbairtí leanúnacha curaclaim don Ghaeilge sa chóras. Tá na forbairtí seo ina gné lárnach de thiomantas na Roinne mar a bhaineann sé le teagasc agus foghlaim na Gaeilge a fheabhsú i scoileanna. Tugadh curaclam teanga na bunscoile isteach in 2016. Mar chuid den athbhreithniú leanúnach ar shonraíochtaí Gaeilge na sraithe sóisearaí, tá níos mó béime ar fhorbairt scileanna cumarsáide scoláirí. Tá obair ar bun freisin chun athfhorbairt a dhéanamh ar shonraíocht Gaeilge na hardteistiméireachta. Cuimseoidh an measúnú ar an tsonraíocht athfhorbartha comhpháirteanna béil agus éisteachta, agus beidh ualú na comhpháirte ó bhéal idir 40% agus 50% ar a laghad.

Maidir le hoideachas tosaigh múinteoirí, tá athbhreithniú ar chaighdeáin chreidiúnaithe Céim ar siúl. Tá an próisis seo faoi cheannasaíocht na Comhairle Múinteoireachta. Baineann na caighdeáin seo le gach cúrsa oideachais tosaigh múinteoirí. Beidh caighdeán na Gaeilge mar chuid lárnach den athbhreithniú seo. Tosaíocht faoin bpolasaí nua don oideachas lánGhaeilge lasmuigh den Ghaeltacht is ea cur leis an soláthar múinteoirí a bhfuil na scileanna agus an inniúlacht teanga acu chun múineadh trí Ghaeilge. I measc na gclár oideachas tosaigh múinteoirí a sholáthraítear trí Ghaeilge anois, tá cúrsaí don bhunmhúinteoireacht in Institiúid Oideachais Marino agus cúrsa don mhúinteoireacht iarbhunscoile in Ollscoil na Gaillimhe. Ina theannta sin, cheadaigh an tAire d'Ollscoil na Gaillimhe agus do Choláiste na hOllscoile, Corcaigh creidiúnú ón gComhairle Mhúinteoireachta a lorg le haghaidh máistreacht ghairmiúil san oideachas trí Ghaeilge le déanaí. Chomh maith leis sin, cuireann an Roinn clár uasoiliúna saor in aisce sa Ghaeilge do mhúinteoirí iarbhunscoile nach bhfuil cláraithe cheana féin sa Ghaeilge mar ábhar teagaisc. Tá an Roinn fós ag infheistiú go suntasach chun tacú le múinteoirí an Ghaeilge a mhúineadh agus múineadh trí Ghaeilge. Áirítear leis sin tacaíocht do bhunú an GhaelAonaid, rannóg nua in Oide. Tá freagracht ar leith ar an nGaelAonad i dtaca leis an nGaeilge agus suíomhanna scoile a fheidhmíonn trí mheán na Gaeilge. Idir 2025 agus 2026, tháinig méadú suntasach ar líon foirne faofa i rannóg an GhaelAonaid. Fágfaidh mé faoi Aoife Ní Mháille ó Oide é na sonraí a thabhairt faoin méadú seo.

Leanann an Roinn de bheith ag cur le cumas COGG chun acmhainní a fhorbairt do scoileanna lánGhaeilge agus do scoileanna meán-Bhéarla araon. Tá méadú tagtha ar an leithdháileadh maoinithe do COGG ó €1.6 milliún in 2018 go dtí os cionn €4.8 milliún i mbliana. Tá méadú tagtha ar líon foirne COGG i rith an tréimhse ama sin agus is féidir leis an bpríomhfheidhmeannach atá anseo inniu tuilleadh eolais a thabhairt faoin tacaíocht bhreise seo.

Mar fhocal scoir, ba mhaith liom a dheimhniú go bhfuil an Roinn tiomanta an soláthar Gaeilge a fheabhsú i mbunscoileanna agus in ár n-iarbhunscoileanna. Déanann an Roinn infheistíocht mhór sa Ghaeilge agus leanann sí de bheith ag tacú leis an nGaeilge trí réimse leathan tionscnamh. Mar aitheantas ar an ról tábhachtach atá aici maidir le féiniúlacht náisiúnta a chothú, tá an Roinn tiomanta freisin do chinntiú go bhfuil an Ghaeilge mar ghné lárnach de churaclam na scoile. Táim sásta aon cheist a fhreagairt ón gcoiste.

Ms Sinéad Tuohy:

Gabhaim buíochas le comhaltaí an chomhchoiste as an deis labhairt leo inniu. Tá mé mar stiúrthóir iarbhunscoile leis an gComhairle Náisiúnta Curaclaim agus Measúnachta, CNCM. Tá an stiúrthóir bunscoile, an Dr. Jacinta Regan, anseo i mo theannta.

Faoin Acht Oideachais, cuireann an CNCM comhairle ar an Aire Oideachais agus Óige faoi chúrsaí a bhaineann leis an gcuraclam agus measúnú don oideachas luath-óige, do bhunscoileanna agus d’iarbhunscoileanna. Le cur chuige na comhairle i leith na forbartha curaclaim, cuirtear béim láidir ar an taighde, ar dhlúthoibriú le scoileanna agus suíomhanna, ar an gcomhairliúchán phoiblí agus ar an mbreithniúchán.

Maidir le soláthar curaclaim na Gaeilge, is croí-ábhar í an Ghaeilge sa churaclam bunscoile agus iarbhunscoile araon. Cuireadh úsáid torthaí foghlama san áireamh sna curaclaim uile a ndearnadh athbhreithniú orthu le déanaí. Tacaíonn siad sin le múinteoirí chun gníomhaíochtaí agus eispéiris foghlama a shaincheapadh le go gcuirfear ar chumas an uile scoláire dul chun cinn a dhéanamh lena gcuid foghlama agus leibhéal inniúlachta pearsanta a bhaint amach i nGaeilge.

I mí Mheán Fómhair 2025, sheol an tAire Oideachais agus Óige Curaclam Athfhorbartha na Bunscoile in Éirinn, agus bhíomar anseo mí Feabhra chun é sin a phlé. Bhí an teanga ar an gcéad réimse den churaclam a ndearnadh athfhorbairt uirthi ó 1999. Choimisiúnaigh an CNCM taighde maidir le múineadh éifeachtach teanga, teanga ó bhéal agus an luathlitearthacht, agus lean sí ag cur leis an mbonn fianaise sin le hobair níos déanaí ar scríbhneoireacht, ar inniúlacht disciplín agus ar thuiscint na léitheoireachta. Foilsíodh an curaclam teanga iomlán le haghaidh scoileanna Béarla agus Gaeilge in 2019. I measc na bpríomhathruithe a tharla ó 1999 bhí an comhtháthú a rinneadh ar an nGaeilge agus ar an mBéarla laistigh de churaclam aonair chun tacú leis an aistriú scileanna idir teangacha, bogadh ó chuspóirí ábhair go dtí torthaí foghlama. Táthar ag leanúint den dul chun cinn thar ceithre chéim agus tá béim as an nua á cur ar an teanga ó bhéal anois. Ó 2025, tá teanga nua iasachta curtha go foirmiúil leis an gcuraclam. I gcéim 3, díríonn sé sin ar fheasacht na bpáistí ar theangacha agus ar chultúir a fhorbairt. Ag céim 4, cuirtear ar a gcumas do pháistí inniúlacht chumarsáideach bhunúsach a fhorbairt i dtríú teanga. Léiríonn sé sin go bhfuiltear ag athrú go mór chuig fócas níos láidre agus níos follasaí ar an ilteangachas laistigh den churaclam bunscoile. Tairgeann uirlisí úsáide churaclam teanga na bunscoile raon tacaíochtaí i gcomhair teagaisc agus foghlama i nGaeilge, agus tá siad saincheaptha do chomhthéacsanna ar leith na scoileanna Béarla, Gaeilge, agus Gaeltachta.

Maidir le Gaeilge na sraithe sóisearaí, tugadh isteach sonraíochtaí idirdhealaithe T1 agus T2 le haghaidh Ghaeilge na sraithe sóisearaí in 2017 mar gheall ar an imní a bhí ann nach mbeadh dóthain dúshláin ann do scoláirí i scoileanna Gaeltachta agus i scoileanna Gaeilge, agus tugadh tacaíocht ag an am céanna d’fhoghlaimeoirí i gcomhthéacsanna eile. Tá soláthar iontu sin freisin le haghaidh leanúnachas agus dul chun cinn ag leibhéal na bunscoile. Tar éis athbhreithniú ar an léargas luath ar Ghaeilge na sraithe sóisearaí, foilsíodh na sonraíochtaí T1 agus T2 nuashonraithe i mí Mheán Fómhair 2023. Tá laghdú ar an méid litríochta a mbíonn ar scoláirí plé léi agus rinneadh measúnú rangbhunaithe 2 a athshamhlú le go ndíreofaí níos mó ar an idirghníomhú labhartha. Tá athbhreithniú leantach trí bliana idir lámha ag SEALBHÚ i láthair na huaire le measúnacht a dhéanamh ar fhorfheidhmiú na sonraíochtaí nuashonraithe. Táthar tar éis dhá thuairisc eatramhacha ón staidéar a chur i gcrích agus beidh an tuarascáil deiridh ar fáil an bhliain seo chugainn.

Maidir le Gaeilge na sraithe sinsearaí, i mí na Nollag 2018, agus i gcomhréir le beartas an Rialtais, chuir an CNCM tús le forbairt sonraíochtaí idirdhealaithe T1 agus T2 le haghaidh Ghaeilge na hardteistiméireachta. Leis an aiseolas ar na dréachtsonraíochtaí sin a tiomsaíodh in 2021, tarraingítear aird ar fhadhbanna córasacha níos leithne nach dtagann faoi chúraimí an CNCM; cuir i gcás samhail an tsoláthair agus comhleanúnachas beartais. Dá bharr sin, chuir an CNCM an fhorbairt ar sos, chun taighde a dhéanamh le hailíniú leis an bhFráma Tagartha Comónta Eorpach, FTCE, a fhiosrú agus le hoideachas teanga i dtíortha eile a scrúdú. Is ar an obair bhreise seo a bunaíodh an chomhairle don Aire in 2025.

Tá curaclam Gaeilge na hardteistiméireachta á nuashonrú faoi láthair mar chuid den athfhorbairt ar an tsraith shinsearach agus déanfaidh an FTCE eolas don nuashonrú sin. Déanfar measúnú ar an tsonraíocht athfhorbartha sin ag an mbunleibhéal, ag an ngnáthleibhéal agus ag an ardleibhéal chun léargas a thabhairt ar ghnóthachtáil an scoláire thar raon inniúlachtaí teanga. Reáchtálfar comhairliúchán ar dhréacht-shonraíocht in 2027 agus cuirfear bailchríoch leis an gcuraclam lena thabhairt isteach i scoileanna in 2028.

Leagtar béim i ráiteas chlár na hidirbhliana 2024 ar a thábhachtaí is atá sé go ndéanann scoláirí comhdhlúthú agus forbairt ar a gcuid inniúlachta i nGaeilge. Tacaítear leis sin le dhá uair a chloig de ranganna sa tseachtain, ach féadann scoileanna cur leis sin trí chomhpháirteanna breise a cruthú bunaithe ar spéiseanna na scoláirí. Bíonn deis ag scoláirí a thugann faoi chlár na ardteistiméireachta feidhmí staidéar a dhéanamh ar an nGaeilge chumarsáideach, a dhíríonn ar an nGaeilge mar theanga bheo agus ar an nGaeilge sa saol thar timpeall orainn.

Déanfaidh mé tagairt do na forbairtí Gaeilge eile ar an gcuraclam. Ag eascairt as an tuarascáil chomhairleach ar an tsraith shinsearach 2022, tá an CNCM ag obair faoi láthair le scoileanna chun togra a fhorbairt maidir le conairí curaclaim a bheadh ailínithe le cuspóir, fís agus treoir-phrionsabal na sraithe sinsearaigh athfhorbartha. Cé go bhfuil obair forbartha móire le déanamh ar na moltaí go fóill a fhoilseofar i gcomhar comhairliúchán, d’fhéadfaí leas a bhaint as an obair sin chun comhpháirteanna nua roghnacha den churaclam a fhorbairt - an Ghaeilge san áireamh - chun freastal níos fearr ar riachtanais éagsúla na scoláirí iarbhunscoile. Fiosróidh an CNCM freisin an chaoi ar bhféadfaí tuilleadh ailínithe idir curaclam na Gaeilge agus an FTCE tacú níos fearr le riachtanais gach uile fhoghlaimeora thar na comhthéacsanna foghlama teanga uile. Déanfaidh tuilleadh taighde ar an FTCE; torthaí an staidéir SEALBHÚ; agus torthaí ón athbhreithniú maidir le cur i bhfeidhm luath churaclam theanga na bunscoile a dhéanfar amach anseo eolas don fhiosrú sin. Tá mé sásta sonraí breise a thabhairt agus tá mé ag tnúth leis an bplé inniu.

Ms Aoife Ní Mháille:

Gabhaim buíochas le Cathaoirleach agus comhaltaí an Chomhchoiste um Oideachas agus Óige as an gcuireadh. Is stiúrthóir ar rannán an GhaelAonaid in Oide agus ball d’fhoireann ardbhainistíochta Oide mé. Is cúis áthais dom a bheith anseo chun eolas a thabhairt don choiste maidir le Gaeilge agus oideachas lánGhaeilge, lena n-áirítear an Ghaeltacht, i gcomhthéacs na hoibre a dhéanann Oide. Bunaíodh Oide – a chiallaíonn “teacher” as Béarla - ar an 1 Meán Fómhair 2023. Is é an tseirbhís náisiúnta tacaíochta ag an Roinn Oideachais agus Óige é do cheannairí scoile agus mhúinteoirí. Is é an ról atá againn ná teagasc agus foghlaim ardchaighdeáin a chur chun cinn trí mhúnla foghlama gairmiúla agus tacaíochtaí atá éifeachtach, soiléir agus freagrúil, a chumasaíonn múinteoirí agus ceannairí scoile chun cleachtas a fheabhsú. Dá bharr sin, cothaítear torthaí feabhsaithe d’fhoghlaimeoirí agus cuirtear ar chumas gach scoláire barr a gcumais a bhaint amach. Bíonn Oide ag obair le gach comhthéacs scoile, ag díriú ar thacaíocht a thabhairt d’fheidhmiú curaclaim agus do chur i bhfeidhm polasaithe. Tá foghlaim ghairmiúil atá dírithe ar cheannairí scoile agus ar mhúinteoirí nuacháilithe mar ghné lárnach den tacaíocht. Déantar ár gcuid oibre i gcomhpháirt le príomhpháirtithe leasmhara eile ar fud an chórais oideachais.

Cruthaíodh rannán úr trasearnála, an GaelAonad, chun dul i ngleic, ar bhealach éifeachtach, leis na riachtanais foghlama gairmiúla a bhíonn ag ceannairí scoile agus ag múinteoirí in earnáil an oideachais lánGhaeilge agus le foghlaim, teagasc agus measúnú na Gaeilge mar réimse den churaclam. De bharr an tsoláthair a thugann rannán an GhaelAonaid, cinntítear go bhfuil fócas Oide, mar eagraíocht, maidir le forbairt na teanga níos feiceálaí agus níos follasaí go hinmheánach agus go seachtrach araon. Mar a luaigh Gavan O'Leary, tháinig méadú suntasach ar líon na foirne sa GhaelAonad ó 18 duine ar iasacht ag deireadh na bliana acadúla 2024-25 go dtí 39 duine ar iasacht i Meán Fómhair 2025. Tacaíonn na ceithre fhoireann sa GhaelAonad le rannáin laistigh d’Oide. Cuireann siad comhairle orthu maidir le foghlaim ghairmiúil a sholáthar as Gaeilge. Éascaítear foghlaim ghairmiúil trí mheán na Gaeilge ag an am céanna is a sholáthraítear eispéiris fhoghlama gairmiúla, EFG, do chomhthéacsanna Béarla. Tá baill foirne ainmnithe ag gach rannán in Oide a dhéanann uasoiliúint agus traenáil rialta chun tacú leo EFG a éascú trí mheán na Gaeilge. Téann gach eispéireas foghlama gairmiúla, agus na hábhair a ghabhann leo, trí phróiseas láidir deartha agus dearbhú cáilíochta, lena n-áirítear comhairliúcháin le múinteoirí agus ceannairí scoile reatha, páirtithe leasmhara agus an chigireacht. Tá comhroinnt chleachtais ina príomhghné den fhoghlaim ghairmiúil, rud a chuireann múinteoirí i mbun cleachtais i gcroílár an EFG agus a chinntíonn an éifeacht is mó agus is inaitheanta a bheith leis.

Is cuid lárnach de chúram Oide í an tacaíocht churaclaim. Bíonn na foirne curaclaim bunscoile agus iarbhunscoile ag comhoibriú le foirne i rannáin eile chun foghlaim ghairmiúil a sholáthar atá ailínithe leis an gcuraclam. Cuirtear an tacaíocht sin ar fáil trí chroí eispéiris foghlama gairmiúla, chomh maith le heispéiris roghnacha, ina ndírítear ar fhoghlaim ghníomhach atá sóisialta agus comhoibríoch.

Le linn na scoilbhliana 2026-27, beidh lá dúnadh scoile faoi stiúir ag Oide ag gach bunscoil ar feadh lae iomláin ina ndíreofar ar fheasacht teanga agus ina gcuirfidh teagasc agus foghlaim éifeachtach na Gaeilge bonn faoi na príomhtheachtaireachtaí. Leanfar le lá dúnadh scoile ar feadh lae iomláin a sholáthar do mhúinteoirí Gaeilge iarbhunscoile trí mhúnla foghlama gairmiúla ina gcuirtear scoileanna le chéile mar chnuasach ag brath ar a riachtanais foghlama gairmiúla maidir le hábhair. Freagraíonn ábhar na n-eispéireas foghlama gairmiúla do riachtanais agus do chomhthéacsanna gairmiúla na múinteoirí, rud a thacaíonn le scileanna oideolaíochta agus eolas ar ábhar a fhorbairt. Feabhsaítear cleachtas athmhachnamhach agus tacaítear le cumas na múinteoirí a gcuid foghlama a chur i bhfeidhm ar bhealach atá fiúntach don seomra ranga. Déanann Oide comhdháil do mhúinteoirí a óstáil gach bliain ina gcomhroinneann múinteoirí reatha cleachtas éifeachtach.

Tacaíonn na foirne trasearnála sa GhaelAonad le feidhmiú príomhpholasaithe náisiúnta a bhaineann leis an nGaeilge agus le hoideachas lánGhaeilge. Áirítear leo sin an polasaí don oideachas Gaeltachta, polasaí don oideachas lánGhaeilge lasmuigh den Ghaeltacht agus an plean gnímh don Ghaeilge i scoileanna meán-Bhéarla, Is féidir liom, is féidir linn. Tá an obair sin ag teacht go láidir le rannáin ábhartha laistigh den Roinn, lena n-áirítear an t-aonad um oideachas Gaeltachta agus an t-aonad Gaeilge um scoileanna meán-Bhéarla. Tá tacaíocht shaincheaptha inscoile chun tacú le cur i bhfeidhm na ngníomhartha atá leagtha amach sna polasaithe ar fáil ó Oide. Cuirtear EFG roghnach ar líne ar feadh lae iomláin maidir le príomhréimsí aitheanta chun tacú le hailíniú polasaí.

Cuireann Oide tacaíocht ar leith ar fáil do scoileanna atá páirteach sa tionscadal, foghlaim chomhtháite ábhar agus teangacha, FCÁT, de chuid na Roinne Oideachais agus Óige don Ghaeilge. Tá sé mar aidhm ag an tionscadal FCÁT sin feabhas a chur ar inniúlacht, ar mhuinín agus ar mheon na bhfoghlaimeoirí i leith na Gaeilge i scoileanna meán-Bhéarla. Áirítear leis sin eispéiris foghlama gairmiúla atá comhleanúnach, struchtúrtha, comhoibríoch agus bunaithe i gcleachtas ranga. Bhí 228 bunscoil agus seacht n-iarbhunscoil páirteach i mbliana. Tá sainchúrsa samhraidh ar an gcur chuige FCÁT deartha againn chomh maith.

Tá an fhoghlaim ghairmiúil a chuireann Oide ar fáil ag neartú inniúlachta ar fud an chórais oideachais chun tacú le hardchaighdeán theagasc agus fhoghlaim na Gaeilge trí mheán na Gaeilge. A bhuí leis an nGaelAonad agus lenár gcomhpháirtíochtaí comhoibríocha, go hinmheánach agus go seachtrach, cumasaíonn ár dtacaíocht feabhsúchán leanúnach i gcleachtas ranga agus i muinín na múinteoirí agus na gceannairí scoile. Cuidíonn an obair sin chun an Ghaeilge a leabú a thuilleadh mar theanga bheo i bpobail scoile na tíre agus chun gníomhartha náisiúnta polasaí maidir leis an oideachas lánGhaeilge a chur chun cinn. Is fiú agus is féidir. Tá mé an-sásta aon cheisteanna atá ag comhaltaí an choiste a fhreagairt.

Ms Jacqueline Ní Fhearghusa:

Gabhaim buíochas le Cathaoirleach agus comhaltaí an chomhchoiste as an gcuireadh. Is mé an príomhfheidhmeannach ar COGG, a bunaíodh in 2002 chun freastal a dhéanamh ar riachtanais oideachais na scoileanna Gaeltachta agus na scoileanna lánGhaeilge. Tá feidhmeanna maidir le múineadh na Gaeilge i scoileanna eile na tíre ag an gcomhairle chomh maith.

Seo a leanas mór réimsí oibre COGG: soláthar acmhainní teagaisc do scoileanna agus téacsleabhar d’iar-bhunscoileanna T1; seirbhísí taca do scoileanna T1 agus T2; taighde ar cheisteanna a bhaineann leis an tumoideachas agus leis an oideachas Gaeltachta; comhairle a chur ar an Aire Oideachais agus Óige agus ar an gComhairle Náisiúnta Curaclaim agus Measúnachta maidir le ceisteanna faoin tumoideachas agus faoi mhúineadh na Gaeilge; tacú leis an Roinn Oideachais agus Óige maidir le cur i bhfeidhm an pholasaí don oideachas Gaeltachta 2016; tacú leis an Roinn Oideachais agus Óige maidir le cur i bhfeidhm an pholasaí don oideachas lán-Ghaeilge lasmuigh den Ghaeltacht; agus tacú leis an Roinn Oideachais agus Óige maidir le cur i bhfeidhm Is féidir liom, is féidir linn, an phlean gnímh don Ghaeilge i scoileanna meán-Bhéarla.

Cuireann COGG go suntasach gach bliain le líon na n-acmhainní teagaisc agus foghlama do theagasc trí Ghaeilge agus do theagasc na Gaeilge féin. Déantar seo trí scéim mhaoinithe d’fhoilsitheoirí agus do sholáthróirí oideachais agus trí acmhainní ar leith a choimisiúnú. Ag leibhéal na hiar-bhunscoile, forbraíonn COGG idir ceithre agus sé théacsleabhar in aghaidh na bliana bunaithe ar fhorbairtí agus athruithe sa churaclam agus ar athbhreithniú na sraithe sinsearaí. Tá costas mór ag baint le forbairt na dtéacsleabhar seo agus bíonn ar COGG cinntí straitéiseacha a ghlacadh bunaithe ar éileamh, ar riachtanas agus ar shrianta maoinithe agus foirne. Leantar le straitéisí margaíochta agus cumarsáide chun na hacmhainní sin a roinnt ar na scoileanna agus ar oideachasóirí trí chéile.

Tacaíonn COGG leis na scoileanna T1 i réimsí éagsúla. Is mian le COGG, mar shampla, tacú le scoileanna buntáistí an dátheangachais agus an ilteangachais a roinnt ar phobal na scoileanna. Chuige sin, tá obair tosaithe ar fheachtais chumarsáide a léireoidh na buntáistí iomadúla a bhaineann le bheith dátheangach ó thaobh cúrsaí sóisialta, cognaíocha, tuiscintí ar chultúir agus ilchultúrachas, ach go háirithe i saol na hoibre. Tá acmhainn ar leith cruthaithe againn le cúpla bliain anuas a léiríonn na buntáistí agus na deiseanna a bhaineann le bheith líofa sa Ghaeilge do dhaoine óga i saol na hoibre. Tá clubanna léitheoireachta Gaeilge COGG ar siúl anois in os cionn 100 scoil, idir bhunscoileanna agus iar-bhunscoileanna, chun tacú le forbairt na litearthachta sa chéad agus sa dara teanga. Sampla eile is ea an maoiniú a thugann COGG le cúnamh ó Údarás na Gaeltachta do champaí samhraidh in iar-bhunscoileanna T1 do dhaltaí i rang 6, chun tacú leis an aistriú scoile.

Tá comhpháirtíochtaí láidre cothaithe ag COGG le réimse leathan seirbhísí náisiúnta eile ag cabhrú leo seirbhísí, acmhainní agus ábhar a chur ar fáil trí mheán na Gaeilge. Sampla de seo is ea an chomhpháirtíocht láidir le Teangacha Iar-bhunscoile Éireann, PPLI, chun buntáistí foghlaim teangacha a chur chun cinn go ginearálta i measc mhuintir na hÉireann. Tá comhoibriú leanúnach ar siúl freisin idir COGG agus soláthróirí sa Tuaisceart ionas gur féidir linn leas a bhaint as acmhainní a chéile agus iad a oiriúnú do na comhthéacsanna éagsúla.

Déanann COGG maoiniú ar raon leathan taighde ar cheisteanna a bhaineann leis an oideachas Gaeltachta, an t-oideachas lán-Ghaeilge agus múineadh na Gaeilge. Tá corpas taighde an-luachmhar ar fáil anois de bharr an mhaoinithe seo le 20 bliain anuas. Coimisiúnaíodh an Dr. Claire Dunne chun anailís théamach a dhéanamh ar an taighde a bhaineann leis an tumoideachas in Éirinn agus í sin a chur ar fáil do phobal an oideachais. Léiríonn an taighde seo na buntáistí a bhaineann leis an tumoideachas agus le bheith dátheangach. Tá taighde déanta ag COGG freisin ar an soláthar do pháistí le riachtanais bhreise oideachais i scoileanna T1 agus tá plean gnímh á chur le chéile bunaithe ar na héilimh agus ar na heasnaimh a aithníodh sna píosaí taighde éagsúla.

Ó 2016, tá COGG ag tacú le polasaithe na Roinne maidir leis an oideachas Gaeltachta, an tumoideachas agus an plean gnímh don Ghaeilge i scoileanna meán-Bhéarla, Is féidir liom, is féidir linn. Tá foireann bhreise curtha ar fáil chun na gníomhartha éagsúla sna polasaithe atá luaite le COGG a chur i bhfeidhm. Cuimsíonn na gníomhartha seo tacaíochtaí do scoileanna; tacaíochtaí teanga do mhúinteoirí agus cúrsaí samhraidh do bhunmhúinteoirí; taighde breise; oiliúint do phríomhoidí agus do mhúinteoirí; cuairteanna scoile; comhpháirtíocht le háisíneachtaí náisiúnta oideachais agus Gaeilge ar nós CNCM agus Oide maidir le cur i bhfeidhm gníomhartha éagsúla na bpolasaithe; tacaíocht do thionscadal CLIL na Roinne agus forbairt ar thionscadal CLIL COGG - corpoideachas trí Ghaeilge; tacaíocht teanga do na cúntóirí riachtanais speisialta oideachais; tacaíochtaí do pháistí le riachtanais bhreise oideachais; agus forbairt bunachar téarmaíochta a bheimid in ann a úsáid le haghaidh téacsleabhair, acmhainní oideachais agus scrúduithe amach anseo. Tháinig méadú ar fhoireann COGG ó naonúr in 2020 go 23 in 2026. Mar atá luaite, cuireadh go suntasach le cumas COGG freastal ar na scoileanna T1 agus T2 le cúpla bliain anuas.

Mar fhocal scoir, tá COGG tiomnaithe don tseirbhís is fearr a sholáthar do scoileanna a mhúineann trí mheán na Gaeilge agus do thacú le múineadh na Gaeilge i scoileanna na tíre, mar a bhaineann sé le soláthar acmhainní teagaisc agus téacsleabhar, seirbhísí taca do scoileanna agus raon taighde ar cheisteanna sainiúla ar mhaithe leis an nGaelscolaíocht, leis na scoileanna Gaeltachta agus le múineadh na Gaeilge. Táim breá sásta ceisteanna a fhreagairt ar aon ghné dár gcuid oibre.

Ms Jean O'Mahony:

Gabhaim buíochas leis an gcoiste as cuireadh a thabhairt dom freastal inniu chun an Ghaeilge a phlé agus oideachas trí mheán na Gaeilge.

I would like to provide the committee with an overview of the key policy initiatives to support the use of the Irish language and Irish-medium education in the tertiary education sector. The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science has a well-established policy to support the Irish language in our tertiary education sector, both as an academic discipline and as a campus language. This policy is rooted in the core principle of academic autonomy, which allows institutions to respond to the needs of their communities and regions, as well as national priorities, including those which are set out in legislation.

The legislation which governs our sector, including the Universities Act 1997 and the Higher Education Authority Act 2022, also makes specific provision for the Irish language and clearly sets out the obligations of the Higher Education Authority and the higher education institutions in promoting the language. As well as the €1.6 billion in core funding to support educational provision in the higher education sector, including in the Irish language and through the Irish language, the Department, through the HEA, funds a range of initiatives that support the teaching and use of Irish on college campuses. These include a dedicated annual allocation of €900,000 to strengthen the use of Irish among students and staff; dedicated funding of €1.76 million to the University of Galway to support the work of Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge; and funding for the Gníomhaí Gaeilge mentoring and awards scheme. I am sure my colleague Mr. Gleeson will discuss those as well in his opening remarks.

The teaching of Irish has also been supported through the numerous policy mechanisms which this Department has developed in recent years, aimed at ensuring that our education sector can respond in an agile way to emerging skills needs. This includes the introduction of dedicated Irish language opportunities through apprenticeship and micro-credentials. It is, however, the view of our Minister that more can and must be done to strengthen Irish-medium provision and Irish language skills in tertiary education, particularly in the context of the 20% target for public service recruitment as set out in the national plan for Irish language public services. It is vital that this work is done in a joined-up way and on a cross-government basis in a way that is aligned with the objectives of the plan.

To this end, officials from this Department are actively engaging across Government to progress this work. We have a number of relevant actions under way. First, we are funding research, through the HEA and University of Galway to better understand existing and future demand for Irish medium education at tertiary level. This research is due to report in 2027. Second, we are prioritising Irish-medium courses in the assessment of expressions of interest processes for areas of national skills need, including in the healthcare sector. This was included for the first time in the recent expressions of interest call which issued on 29 April 2026 for the further expansion of third level education and training capacity in the health and social care professions. Third, the forthcoming national tertiary strategy, which will set out the objectives and outputs for the system, will have regard to the sustainability, promotion and use of the Irish language.

In addition, work to establish a new sectoral working group with the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht under the action plan for Irish language public services is well advanced. The purpose of the group is to consider how the full range of tertiary education provision across higher education, further education and training, apprenticeship, upskilling, reskilling and lifelong learning can support the delivery of the national plan for Irish language public services, and in particular targets relating to the Irish language competence of new recruits. Finally, we are engaging with our colleagues in the Department of Education and Youth on relevant actions in their policies on Irish in English-medium schools and Irish-medium education outside the Gaeltacht.

The Department is committed to continuing this work, in partnership with our colleagues in the HEA, education providers and other Departments and agencies, to support a joint and sustainable approach to Irish language provision across the tertiary education sector. I am happy to take any questions that members may have.

Dr. Jack Gleeson:

Thar ceann an Údaráis um Ard-Oideachas, gabhaim buíochas leis an gcomhchoiste as an gcuireadh. Tá mé an-sásta a bheith anseo chun ábhar an chruinnithe a phlé mar is tosaíochtaí iad an Ghaeilge agus oideachas trí mheán na Gaeilge ag an Údarás um Ard-Oideachas.

Is é an student record system, SRS, an bunachar náisiúnta maidir le cúrsaí ollscoile. Bailítear, ar bhonn bliantúil, mionsonraí maidir le gach mac léinn agus céimí atá cláraithe in institiúidí atá faoi raon feidhme an Údaráis um Ard-Oideachas. Bailítear sonraí amhail ainm an chúrsa, inscne na mac léinn agus araile maidir le gach cúrsa. Bainimid úsáid as na sonraí luachmhara sin chun taighde a dhéanamh agus léargas a fháil ar earnáil an ardoideachais in Éirinn. Faoi láthair, tá an fhoireann staidrimh san Údarás um Ard-Oideachas ag obair ar SRS 2.0. Is athbhreithniú iomlán é sin ar an gcóras reatha.

Chomh maith leis sin, i mbliana, tá an fhoireann staidrimh san Údarás um Ard-Oideachas ag obair ar phíosa taighde i gcomhar le hÚdarás na Gaeltachta. Beidh an taighde seo ag díriú ar na sonraí a bhaineann leis an nGaeltacht agus déanfar scrúdú ar rudaí cosúil leis an ráta coinneála agus réimsí staidéir i measc na mac léinn ón nGaeltacht. Déanfar comparáid idir sonraí a bhaineann le ceantair Ghaeltachta agus an leibhéal náisiúnta maidir le stádas socheacnamaíoch, cláir ollscoile agus araile. Tá coinne againn an taighde sin a fhoilsiú le linn an tríú ráithe den bhliain seo.

Sa chéad ráithe den bhliain seo, tríd an Roinn Breisoideachais agus Ardoideachais, Taighde, Nuálaíochta agus Eolaíochta, cheadaigh an tÚdarás um Ard-Oideachas maoiniú d’Ollscoil na Gaillimhe chun taighde a dhéanamh ar an nGaeilge ag an tríú leibhéal. Leis an taighde seo, déanfar anailís ar na cúrsaí faoin nGaeilge agus na cúrsaí trí mheán na Gaeilge atá ar fáil ar fud na tíre faoi láthair. Chomh maith leis sin, sa taighde seo, tabharfar aghaidh ar an sprioc reachtúil maidir le 20% d’oibrithe sa Státchóras a bheith inniúil sa Ghaeilge faoin mbliain 2030, atá ar cheann de na príomhaidhmeanna a bhaineann le hAcht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla (Leasú), 2021. Tá an togra taighde seo tosaithe i nGaillimh anois agus tá taighdeoir iardhochtúra fostaithe chun dul chun cinn a dhéanamh air.

Anuas ar an taighde sin, tá an tÚdarás um Ard-Oideachas ag déanamh athbhreithnithe faoi láthair ar thogra ó thaighdeoirí in Ollscoil Mhá Nuad. Is éard atá i gceist leis an togra ná taighde náisiúnta a dhéanamh ar acmhainní na n-institiúidí ardoideachais chun cúrsaí ar an nGaeilge agus cúrsaí trí mheán na Gaeilge a sholáthar. Eascraíonn an togra as taighde a chuir an Dr. Joe Simpson i gcrích le déanaí, Ár gCampas, Ár dTeanga, ina ndearnadh anailís ar staid reatha na Gaeilge in Ollscoil Mhá Nuad.

Tá cúpla togra eile ar bun ag an Údarás um Ard-Oideachas chun an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn sna hinstitiúidí tríú leibhéal ar fud na tíre. Ceann díobh sin is ea Gníomhaí Gaeilge, a thosaigh in 2022. Is iad Conradh na Gaeilge agus Aontas na Mac Léinn in Éirinn, AMLÉ, a dhéanann comhordú ar Ghníomhaí Gaeilge. Leis an scéim seo, tugtar tacaíocht d’imeachtaí, do chlubanna agus do chumainn tríú leibhéil a fheidhmíonn trí mheán na Gaeilge. Tugadh maoiniú €150,000 taobh istigh de na chéad trí bliana den scéim. D’éirigh go han-mhaith leis an scéim agus tháinig fás agus forbairt uirthi i gcaitheamh na mblianta. Sna trí bliana amach romhainn, beidh thart ar €220,000 á thabhairt ag an Údarás um Ard-Oideachas don scéim seo.

I mbliana, den chéad uair, rith an tÚdarás um Ard-Oideachas an comórtas, Mo Thráchtas i mBeagán Focal, ar comórtas cumarsáide é do mhic léinn iarchéime. Tá an comórtas bunaithe ar an gcoincheap “My Thesis in 3 Minutes”, ina gcuireann iarchéimithe a gcuid taighde i láthair an phobail go sothuigthe faoi theorainn ama. Cuireadh an-spéis sa chomórtas, a bhí ina chéad chomórtas dá shórt go hiomlán trí Ghaeilge. Tar éis phróiseas roghnúcháin, bhí ochtar, a tháinig ó gach cearn den oileán, páirteach. D’éirigh go hiontach leis an gcomórtas, a tharla ag deireadh mhí na Samhna, agus táimid ag súil lena reáchtáil arís an bhliain seo chugainn.

Tá blocdheontas ar leith ann le roinnt mhaith blianta anuas chun tacú leis an nGaeilge ag an tríú leibhéal. Ó 2020 i leith, tá €900,000 curtha ar fáil gach bliain ag an Údarás um Ard-Oideachas chuige sin. Is faoi na hinstitiúidí féin, atá i dteideal cuid den bhlocdheontas sin, rogha a dhéanamh faoin gcaoi a gcaitear an maoiniú sin. Tugann an tÚdarás um Ard-Oideachas €1.766 milliún gach bliain d’Ollscoil na Gaillimhe le haghaidh Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge. Ina theannta sin, tá comhaontú ag an Roinn faoina bhfuil cúraimí na Gaeltachta go mbronntar thart ar €1 mhilliún ar Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge gach bliain. Léiríonn an méid sin go bhfuil obair an Údaráis um Ard-Oideachas ag tacú le cur chun cinn na Gaeilge sa chóras ardoideachais. Tá taighde ar bun againn a bheidh an-chabhrach don earnáil amach anseo, go háirithe maidir le soláthar na gcúrsaí. Tá tograí á maoiniú againn chun an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn i ngníomhaíochtaí seach-churaclaim na mac léinn freisin. Táim ag tnúth le tuilleadh plé a dhéanamh leis an gcoiste ar an ábhar seo agus beidh mé sásta aon cheist atá ag an gcomhchoiste a fhreagairt.

Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Gabhaim buíochas leis na finnéithe go léir. Leanfaidh muid ar aghaidh go ceisteanna. Beidh seal sé nóiméad ach gach comhalta. Toisc a laghad ama atá ar fáil chun ceisteanna a chur agus freagraí a thabhairt, the witnesses might hear that I tap the glass. That is just to ask people to conclude so we can try to stay on track. We have a speaking roster. I am up first.

Tá ceist agam don Roinn oideachais. Bhí díospóireachtaí sa Dáil agus Seanad araon maidir leis an ngá atá ann go mbeidh mic léinn dara leibhéal in ann tumoideachas sa Ghaeltacht a fháil chun caighdeán a gcuid Gaeilge labhartha a ardú. An bhfuil an Roinn oideachais tar éis breathnú ar an togra sin? An bhfuil costas curtha san áireamh?

Mr. Gavan O'Leary:

Tá na coláistí samhraidh ann agus bíonn siad gnóthach gach samhradh. Freastalaíonn mic léinn ón dara leibhéal ar na coláistí samhraidh agus bíonn ról faoi leith ag an Roinn maidir le cigireacht na gcúrsaí sin. Téann na cigirí chuig na coláistí chun na caighdeáin a mheas agus déanann siad tuarascáil ar chaighdeán na Gaeilge agus an teagasc atá idir lámha sna scoileanna sin. Ní cuid den chóras poiblí iad na coláistí, áfach. Ritear iad i mbealach go dtagann siad faoin Roinn gnóthaí tuaithe agus Gaeltachta. Níl figiúirí agam i láthair na huaire maidir leis an gcostas a bhaineann le scoláireacht dá leithéid, ach is féidir liom teacht ar ais chuig an gCathaoirleach leis an méid a chosnódh sé chun na scoláireachtaí sin a chur ar fáil.

Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Bheadh sé sin ar fheabhas. Gan dabht, cabhraíonn na cúrsaí sin chun an caighdeán a ardú ach cosnaíonn siad go leor le haghaidh na dtuismitheoirí. Córas tumoideachais is what we are talking about here. My colleague, Deputy Ryan O’Meara, who is attending this meeting online, has been proposing this as well. It would make a huge difference.

Tá ceist eile agam ar an ábhar sin. Le linn mo chuid oiliúna féin i gColáiste Mhuire gan Smál, chaith mé coicís i mBaile an Fheirtéaraigh i gContae Chiarraí. B’ullmhúchán den scoth é an tumoideachas iomlán seo sa teanga do ghairmbheatha an tseomra ranga. Tá a fhios agam go bhfuil forbairt ghairmiúil leanúnach ar fáil ar líne agus go pearsanta, ach an ndearna an Roinn oideachais machnamh ar chúrsaí tumoideachais breise a chur ar fáil do mhúinteoirí cáilithe chun a líofacht féin a fheabhsú?

Mr. Gavan O'Leary:

Is féidir liom cúpla focal a rá faoi sin agus b’fhéidir go dtiocfaidh Aoife Ní Mháille isteach mar tá ról aici maidir le traenáil proifisiúnta na múinteoirí. Tá tréimhse sa Ghaeltacht mar chuid d’oiliúint múinteoirí. Ag an mbunleibhéal, caitheann siad dhá thréimhse sa Ghaeltacht. Is mar sin a fhaigheann siad an líofacht atá ag teastáil chun a bheith céimithe mar mhúinteoir. Mar a luaigh mé i mo ráiteas tosaigh, mar chuid den athbhreithniú atá á dhéanamh ar an gcéim, faoi stiúir an Chomhairle Múinteoireachta, táthar ag féachaint ar an gcaighdeán atá ag teastáil do mhúinteoirí nua cáilithe. Maidir le múinteoirí ag an iarbhunleibhéal, caithfidh na múinteoirí atá chun múineadh trí Ghaeilge tréimhse a chaitheamh sa Gaeltacht freisin.

Tá sé sin mar chuid de na riachtanais chun a bheith cáilithe mar mhúinteoir. Tá obair ar siúl freisin chun uasoiliúint a dhéanamh ar mhúinteoirí atá cáilithe cheana féin. Tá cúrsa ann i gColáiste na Tríonóide do mhúinteoirí, máistreacht ghairmiúil san oideachas. B'fhéidir gur mhaith le Aoife Ní Mháille níos mó sonraí a thabhairt ar na cúrsaí sin.

Ms Aoife Ní Mháille:

Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach as an gceist. Díreach mar eolas, tá Oide i mbun pleanála faoi láthair do na tacaíochtaí a chuirfear ar fáil sa chéad scoilbhliain eile. Mar chuid de sin, beidh áthas ar an gCathaoirleach a chloisteáil go bhfuil muid ag obair ar mhúnla cúrsa mar sin a chur ar bun. Nílim in ann a dheimhniú go cinnte go mbeidh sé mar chuid de na cúrsaí samhraidh nó an dtarlóidh sé ag am éigin eile ach go cinnte, chun múnlaí an tumoideachais agus na cuir chuige chomhtháite agus chumarsáide a bheith ann, táimid ag féachaint air sin. Ní bheidh sé sin do na múinteoirí bunscoile amháin. Beidh an deis chéanna ar fáil do na múinteoirí iarbhunscoile. Chomh maith leis sin, táimid ag féachaint go mbeadh sé sin saor in aisce do na múinteoirí dá mbeadh toil ann.

Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Tá sé sin an-tábhachtach. Tá ceist dheireanach agam. D'fhoilsigh coiste oideachais an Oireachtais a bhí ann roimhe seo, a raibh mé mar bhall de, tuarascáil ar athchóiriú na hardteistiméireachta maidir le hoideachas trí mheán na Gaeilge. Ba mholadh tábhachtach é athbhreithniú a dhéanamh ar na sonraíochtaí L1 agus L2 atá beartaithe don Ghaeilge ag an leibhéal sinsearach d'fhonn iad a bhaint amach leis an gcreatlach comónta Eorpach. Chuir na finnéithe a bhí againn ag cruinniú an choiste an tseachtain seo caite béim ar an ngá leis seo freisin. An bhféadfadh oifigigh na Roinne oideachais a dhearbhú an ndéanfaidís aon bhreithniú air seo?

Mr. Gavan O'Leary:

Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach. Iarraim ar Shinéad Tuohy teacht isteach maidir leis an gcuraclam agus an obair atá idir lámha ag an CNCM maidir leis an ardteist agus an t-athchóiriú atá ar siúl.

Ms Sinéad Tuohy:

Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach as an gceist. Mar a dúirt mé sa ráiteas tosaigh, táimid ag obair faoi láthair ar na sonraíochtaí nua don Ghaeilge. In 2019, cuireadh tús le comhairliúchán ar shonraíochtaí T1 agus T2. De réir an chomhairliúcháin sin, bhí sos le tógáil le roinnt blianta toisc deacrachtaí a bhain le rudaí a bhí seach-churaclam i ndáiríre. Ina dhiaidh sin, bhí plé agus bhí taighde déanta maidir leis an FTCE agus na teangacha atá á múineadh i ndlínsí eile. Anois, táimid ag tabhairt faoi shonraíochtaí nua a bheadh-----

Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Tá brón orm, tá mo chuid ama caite agam. Tá brón orm faoin gclog.

Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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Díreoidh mé ar shuirbhé na Roinne a tháinig amach. Is cúis imní é dom. Cuireadh ceist maidir leis an nGaeilge agus an Ghaelscolaíocht ina raibh an fhoclaíocht mícheart agus míchruinn. Bhí fadhb ollmhór leis an gcaoi inar cuireadh an cheist in aice le ceist maidir le hathrú pátrúnachta. Táim thar a bheith buartha go bhfuil an tAire chun torthaí míchruinne an tsuirbhé sin a úsáid chun a rá nach bhfuil éileamh ar Ghaeloideachas. Ceapaim gur 14% an figiúr a tháinig amach. Ba é an cheist a cuireadh ná ar mhaith leat go n-athródh do scoil ó scoil Bhéarla go scoil Ghaeilge. Ní raibh sé sin maith go leor. Tháinig suirbhé amach inniu a rinne Coláiste na Tríonóide agus Ipsos. Sa suirbhé seo, dúirt 87% go bhfuil siad ag iarraidh deis a bheith ag a bpáistí Gaeloideachas a bheith acu. Ba mhéadú de 7% ar an bhfigiúr deireanach é sin. Tháinig méadú de 22% ar an líon tuismitheoirí a roghnódh Gaeloideachas dá bpáistí bunscoile agus 45% an figiúr iomlán. Chreid 84% gur cheart Gaelscolaíocht a chur ar fáil áit ar bith a bhfuil éileamh ann. Tá an t-eolas anseo. Is dócha go bhfaca na finnéithe é.

Tá trí cheist agam maidir leis an suirbhé sin. Táim ag iarraidh freagra orthu siúd. Sa suirbhé sin, cén céatadán de thuismitheoirí réamhscoile a léirigh spéis i rogha lánGhaeilge? Cén fáth nár fhoilsigh an Roinn ach staitisticí faoin gcéatadán de thuistí a bhfuil páiste acu i mbunscoil Bhéarla nach raibh ag iarraidh an teanga oideachais a athrú? Níor fhoilsíodh torthaí faoin gcéatadán de thuismitheoirí réamhscoile arbh fhearr leo bunscoil lánGhaeilge. An mbeidh an Roinn ag baint úsáid as an bhfigiúr de 13% mar bhunús chun an t-éileamh ar oideachas lánGhaeilge a mheas amach anseo?

Mr. Gavan O'Leary:

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta. Maidir leis an suirbhé sin, tá a fhios againn agus ag mo chomhghleacaithe thíos i dTulach Mhór a bhí i mbun an tsuirbhé an méid sin. Tá siad i dteagmháil leis na heagraíochtaí ar fud na hearnála. Chuala siad na pointí a rinne an Teachta maidir leis an suirbhé sin. Is féidir liom a rá gurbh é an suirbhé is mó den chineál sin a rinneadh riamh sa tír seo. Níl na torthaí go léir eisithe fós. Tá obair fós idir lámha chun anailís a dhéanamh ar na torthaí sin. Ó thaobh na ceiste maidir leis an nGaelscolaíocht, beidh na sonraí go léir á eisiúint i gceathrú 2, roimh dheireadh na míosa seo chugainn. Beidh níos mó sonraí eisithe ag an Roinn. Is cuid de phróiseas é an suirbhé. Ní céim dheireanach é. Beidh níos mó oibre le déanamh leis na pobail áitiúla. Mar a thuigim, is sonraí náisiúnta iad na sonraí atá eisithe. Tá níos mó le déanamh le pobail agus scoileanna áirithe in áiteanna áirithe maidir leis an éileamh atá ann agus conas an t-éileamh sin a shásamh. Beidh sé mar chuid d'obair na Roinne pleanáil a dhéanamh ar sholáthar oideachais ag an mbunleibhéal.

Maidir leis an suirbhé ó Fhoras na Gaeilge a luaigh an Teachta, caithfidh mé a admháil nach raibh an t-am agam é a léamh go grinn. Chonaic mé na ceannlínte, más féidir é sin a thabhairt orthu. Tá a fhios agam go mbeidh an suirbhé sin a léamh ag mo chomhghleacaithe. Beidh na sonraí sin go léir á mheas acu agus déanfaidh siad anailís orthu chun go mbeidh pictiúr níos leithne acu maidir leis an éileamh atá ann. Mar a thuigim ón méid a léigh mé faoin suirbhé sin, díríonn sé ar chúrsaí níos leithne ná an bhunscolaíocht agus meon daoine-----

Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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Tá difear ollmhór ann. Bhí cúpla suirbhé eile. Níl siad os mo chomhair agam. Tá difear ollmhór idir an 13% i suirbhé na Roinne agus torthaí na suirbhéanna eile. Is é an bhuairt atá agam ná go bhfuil an Roinn agus an tAire chun na figiúirí seo a úsáid chun a rá nach bhfuil éileamh ann. Tá sí tar éis a rá nach mbeidh aon Ghaelscoil nua á oscailt laistigh de chúig bliana. An bhfuil na figiúirí sin chun a bheith úsáidte nó an bhfuil an Roinn chun breathnú ar gach suirbhé? Ní dhéanann sé ciall a rá nach bhfuil an t-éileamh ann. I mo Dháilcheantar féin, tá níos mó páistí ar an liosta feithimh ná páistí a bhfuil spásanna acu. Tá tuismitheoirí ag teacht chugam maidir le naíonraí atá á ndúnadh. Tá siad gan aon soláthar oideachais. Chomh maith leis sin, níl Gaelcholáiste i ngach contae. Is léir nach raibh mórán suime ag an Aire ná an Roinn sa Ghaeloideachas go dtí seo. An bhfuil siad chun na figiúirí sin a úsáid? Táim thar a bheith soiniciúil ach is dóigh liom gurb é sin an fáth gur foilsíodh na torthaí sin nuair nach bhfuil na sonraí eile ann.

Mr. Gavan O'Leary:

Mar a dúirt mé i mo ráiteas tosaigh, is ceann de phríomhthosaíochtaí na Roinne é an Ghaeilge a chur ar fáil do gach dalta. Tá an Ghaelscolaíocht mar chuid de sin. Tabharfaidh mé míniú maidir leis an bpointe a rinne an Teachta. Ní dúirt an Roinn nach mbeadh aon Ghaelscoil nua bunaithe ná oscailte ar feadh cúig bliana.

Is é an rud a dúirt an tAire ná nach bhfuil plean faoi leith ann chun Gaelscoil nua a bhunú. Tá solúbthacht ann. Má tá an t-éileamh ann, is féidir linn plean a chur-----

Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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Tá an t-éileamh ann de réir na suirbhéanna eile. Bunaithe ar shuirbhé na Roinne, níl aon éileamh ann.

Mr. Gavan O'Leary:

Caithfear féachaint ar na sonraí áitiúla freisin. Mar a dúirt mé, tá na staitisticí ar an leibhéal náisiúnta ach tá éileamh ann in áiteanna áitiúla. Is ann atá an t-éileamh agus tógtar nó bunaítear scoileanna bunaithe air sin.

Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Tá an t-am rite amach. Tá brón orm. B'fhéidir go mbeidh an dara babhta againn níos déanaí.

Linda Nelson Murray (Fine Gael)
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I will speak English if that is okay. I support Irish education in schools and I come to this as a mam of ten- and 11-year-old girls. It seems we are not there yet in terms of how much Irish they are getting in school and how much they are coming home with. There is also the fear of it. The two girls get on well in every other subject. I am coming at this from a mammy point of view, as well as reading these notes. I think we can do more with the conversation piece. At parent-teacher meetings I encourage that they have even one day per week through Irish where everybody speaks Irish to get the conversational element going. There are definitely better ways to teach Irish in school. I did honours Irish for my leaving certificate, but when you come out of school and do not converse in it you forget. I am embarrassed that I am talking to the witnesses in English and I have to have these earphones on to listen to everything else. I would like to see us improve. I hear Mr. O'Leary saying that it is of utmost importance and a priority. We are hearing all of those great words. I hope it is, because I am definitely not seeing it at home. That is my piece. It is more of a statement than a question. I thank him for being here.

Mr. Gavan O'Leary:

As I said in my opening statement, the statement of strategy by the Department is not just about an inclusive approach. It is also about positive attitudes because the Senator has put her finger on it. It is important that in both Gaelscoileanna and English-medium schools, pupils get enjoyment and pleasure out of learning Irish and that it be something they are proud of. I also alluded to cultural and national identity. We recognise the importance of the Irish language, and it is a real asset to all students to be able to learn and speak Irish. I will ask Ms Tuohy to speak more about the changes in the curriculum and the increased emphasis on spoken and communicative Irish. Literature and poetry and so on are important and we would not de-emphasise that. However, the NCCA has led on a lot of important work to try to promote Irish as a living language and communicative skills, particularly at junior cycle but increasingly at senior cycle level.

Linda Nelson Murray (Fine Gael)
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Before Ms Tuohy comes in, it is important that we do not put so much pressure on ourselves. That is a major thing. I do the homework with the kids on the nights I get home to do it. I am remembering the words from the books they are bringing home. There are a couple of great Senators on my corridor, and Senator Kelleher in particular will put his head in the door and say something in Irish because he knows I am trying to learn a bit more. I will invariably answer him a tiny bit back in Irish and then as Béarla again because I am embarrassed by the way I am saying things. We need to knock that out of adults’ heads as well. Any little bit we can do will help the situation.

Mr. Gavan O'Leary:

The action plan we published last November puts a huge emphasis on that kind of thing and it is just so people would not feel embarrassed. We recognise teachers have a huge role to play. Sometimes there can be in issue with teacher's own self confidence and their use of the language. We are putting steps in place to try to address that in order that Irish is not just for the Irish lesson but that people say things like "dún an doras" and "oscail an fhuinneog". They might move on to speak in English but at least the effort is being made, and we try to encourage that.

Linda Nelson Murray (Fine Gael)
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We all need to do that.

Ms Sinéad Tuohy:

I thank the Senator for her honesty about her own Gaeilge. I want to reassure her and I will begin with the primary language curriculum. We spoke today about a new integrated language curriculum for primary schools being introduced that would support the transfer of skills between languages. Students will see their learning in English is relevant to their learning in Irish and vice versa, and further with the introduction of modern languages at primary level. There is also a significant focus on oral language in the new integrated primary curriculum and a number of learning outcomes in the oral language strand that would encourage young pupils to use the little bit of Gaeilge they have and build that capacity. As Mr. O'Leary has said, that also feeds into the junior cycle and the Senator will shortly go on that journey with her girls. There is a focus across the three years of the junior cycle of developing oral competence and the competence to engage as well as to speak openly. Furthermore, with the redevelopments in senior cycle at the moment there is a 40% oral mark and an opportunity to look at that to see how that can become more meaningful. As Mr. O'Leary has said, in the plean gníomh there will be supports for parents to encourage them to support their own learners.

Jen Cummins (Dublin South Central, Social Democrats)
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I thank everybody for being here. It is really appreciated. Like Senator Nelson Murray it is so frustrating to sit here and know so many words and then have none of them come out of my mouth in the language I would love them to come out in. It has been interesting listening this week and last week to where we are and plan to be. The reality for parents is sometimes a bit different. There will be young people doing the leaving certificate in the coming couple of weeks. They will leave and will not be able to converse or speak Irish if they go to an English-medium school. I do not mean a Gaelcholáiste; that would be different. They just will not have the confidence in the language. I hear that time and again because they know I am trying to learn Irish. Young people are saying they just want to get it over and done with, get the leaving certificate done and never speak that language again. It is heartbreaking. I do not know what is happening and why people hate it so much and are so averse to it. They then get to an older age and wish they had learned the language properly. Because it is taught to the leaving certificate with so many subjects they are just being taught to the exam, and it is really putting a dampener on their being able to learn. I note from one of the contributions that it took seven years from 2018 to 2025 to see how the curriculum would be redeveloped. Will that be in place now and what will the major difference be? That is one question for the NCCA.

In Wales they put in legislation to protect that language. By underpinning that with legislation it meant things had to work in a certain way. By us not having that legislation here, does it obstruct the support for Irish-medium language? Would it make a difference if it was in legislation and it was a statutory right to have a child's education through the medium of Irish? The fact that Gaelscoileanna are opening but there are not Gaelcholáistí to go with them seems to be a lack of joined-up planning. They go to school for primary school and they still need to go to secondary school. Maybe that is for a different part of the Department. Surely there has to be joined up thinking that if Gaelscoileanna are being opened that Gaelcholáistí will be opened afterwards in that period. It gives them eight years if they are going to start with junior infants. I am concerned at what was said and who said that no Gaelcholáistí will open for the next five years. I do not know where that has come from and am concerned as to what that is. I will stop asking questions because the time will be up, but I thank everybody.

Mr. Gavan O'Leary:

If the Deputy bears with me I will deal with the final question she asked about where that statement came from.

There was a reply to a parliamentary question in which the Minister said there were no current plans to establish new schools. It referred to new schools rather than just Gaelscoilenna. Where she was coming from was that she was leaving herself flexibility such that as housing was rolled out or as demographics changed, she would have the opportunity to establish those schools. It was not that she was saying she would not establish any new schools. It was just that at that time, she did not have any specific plans. In the past, there might have been times when Ministers announced that there would be a new school in three years' time in a particular area. When the demand and need are there, steps will be taken to establish those schools. I thank the Deputy for the opportunity to clarify where that was coming from.

The Deputy made a point about communication skills. I might ask Ms Tuohy to come in on the confidence and competence issue around the use of the language. As I said, the new action plan that the then Minister published last November puts a lot of emphasis on communicative skills. Its focus is primarily on Irish in English-medium schools. In Irish-medium schools, it is a slightly different context. It is about fostering positive attitudes towards Irish and the pride that the Deputy talked about. We need to increase the use of Irish and support access for children and young people to learn Irish. We must also integrate supports for Irish. Deputy Ní Raghallaigh mentioned the recently published survey. It is interesting that one of the headline findings was about a more positive attitude among 18- to 24-year-olds towards learning and using their Irish. It may be that we can build on that. These are people who have left school. As the Deputy says, we have seen a pattern whereby people leave school and consider that section of their lives over and then later in their lives, they regret doing that. If we are seeing that with 18- to 24-year-olds, I hope we can build on it. A lot of work is being done to provide courses for adults to learn Irish.

Jen Cummins (Dublin South Central, Social Democrats)
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Would legislation help? Would having legislation in place to say there is a right for young people and children to go to school through the Irish language make a difference to the work the Department is doing?

Mr. Gavan O'Leary:

The 1998 Education Act does bring with it certain responsibilities for the Department and schools in relation to the promotion of the Irish language and culture. I can dig out the relevant sections. In terms of a legislative proposal, that is not really for us, as civil servants, to say. It would come from somewhere else, if I can say that. Ms Tuohy might want to come in.

Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I ask Ms Tuohy to be brief.

Ms Sinéad Tuohy:

I will be very brief. I thank the Teachta. In response to the Senator, she will have seen there are a number of steps in the primary curriculum, all the time intending to foster the oral language competence and provide a curriculum that supports approaches to teaching and learning that can help to develop that positive attitude to Gaeilge and to develop confidence and competence. That is built on in the junior cycle. With the senior cycle developments and the opportunities that are there, we will be looking at an action-orientated approach, which is about the use of Gaeilge in real-life scenarios, and the opportunities that the curriculum could provide for that.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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It is a statement of fact to say that in 2019 and 2020, 48,518 children were in Irish-medium education. In 2023 and 2024, there were 46,933 children in Gaelscoilenna and Gaelcholáistí. That was a decrease of 3%. What is the Department's perspective on that?

I want to give what is happening in Dunshaughlin at this very minute as an example of the failure of the Department and policy. The Department was, in early March, faced with an equal opportunity to provide additional capacity for junior infants in September in an English-medium school or in the local Gaelscoil. I will go a bit further. It was more attractive to provide the capacity in the Gaelscoil because it could also have provided special education places. The Department made the decision to provide the additional capacity in the English-medium school. As a result, parents were faced with a binary choice, namely take that place or have no place at all. Parents who wanted their children to have a Gaelscoil education protested twice, including last Thursday, outside Leinster House. They got some glimmer of hope, which was quashed in the past 24 hours. The Department has come back to say there are 27 children on the Gaelscoil waiting list and that the parents of 20 of those children had applied to other schools. I take that as an insult to the intelligence of people. Of course they applied to other schools. They are faced with a binary choice. Some of those children will now pass six primary schools before they get to the place they have accepted. The Department had a clear opportunity here to provide a Gaelscoil education for these children. Their families wanted it and they are being failed for the want of the price of a prefab and an additional teacher.

The school has for a long time been on the waiting list for additional works. It is paying tens of thousands of euro to hire a decrepit prefab that needs to be replaced. This is a failure of these children and their families. It is also a failure of what is supposed to be policy. How has this situation arisen in Dunshaughlin? There was a clear opportunity to provide an Irish-medium Gaelscoil education for a group of families and children who desperately want it. The Department decided against that. Why? I want to open the door again. Will the Department commit to re-evaluating what is going on in Dunshaughlin with a view to providing additional Gaelscoil places for these children? To do anything other than that is a failure of policy and a real shame.

Mr. Gavan O'Leary:

I must confess that I do not know the full details of the case in Dunshaughlin. I apologise. I can follow up with the planning and building unit, which has been dealing with the school authority around the situation.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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Would it be usual or unusual that Mr. O'Leary would not know that there is a significant unmet need for Gaelscoil places in a school planning area for September 2026?

Mr. Gavan O'Leary:

With the job that I do, I would not be familiar with the individual cases, I must confess, and the building projects in the planning and building unit in Tullamore.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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I am not interested in building. Buildings are one thing. My question relates to the demand for Irish-medium education among the population. Is there a measure of that? What is going to happen here, and I have it in front of me in black and white, is that the Department of education is going to state that these children have opted for English-medium schools. The demand for junior infants Gaelscoil places in Dunshaughlin amounts to 26 children, because that is what is being offered. The reality is that there is demand for at least 56 places but the Department is saying that those children have gone elsewhere. Some of those children are passing six schools to go to where they have accepted a place. There is a fundamental flaw in the system if the Department is not aware of the demand, in the first instance, and the planning unit is not responding to that need. The planning unit is pushing back and telling those 30 children to find another school, however far away it is.

Mr. Gavan O'Leary:

I am not in a position to discuss the details relating to Dunshaughlin.

I do not know them. At a broader level, the work that I do with my colleagues is on the demand for Irish-medium education, as we discussed earlier, and the work that is ongoing to identify that. I know there are areas of the country, as I alluded to, where the national figure is not necessarily translated directly down and there can be greater demand in local areas. Part of the work that colleagues in the planning and building unit carry out is to try to meet that demand and to build schools where there is demand. They are managing the budgets they have in trying to ensure they make best use of available capacity and also trying to provide the types of education that are required. I can ask them about that particular case, but I am not in a position to comment on the actual detail of Dunshaughlin. More broadly----

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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We are running out of time. I would appreciate if Mr. O'Leary would follow up and look at what is happening in Dunshaughlin this year, maybe as an indicator of what is happening in other places with regard to the unmet need for Irish-medium education.

Mr. Gavan O'Leary:

We will follow up with those.

Pauline Tully (Sinn Fein)
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We had a number of Irish language organisations at the committee last week. They were concerned that Irish is the only official European language in danger of extinction and nothing is being done about it. I agree with Deputy Cummins that we need legislation, Government focus on this, and for all Departments to work, set targets and do something similar to what Wales did to see a resurgence in the language. Both the Department of education and organisations here have a clear role in that. Different people have talked about their children and their ability to learn the language at school. I have a son doing the leaving certificate and still see him rote-learning stuff for a leaving certificate exam, something I did 40 years ago when it was my leaving certificate. Things have not changed. We hear about changes in the curriculum at primary and secondary school for junior cycle and for leaving certificate, but we need to see a real change at those levels to lead to proficiency in the ability to speak Irish. We talk about having to send teachers to summer colleges to make themselves proficient to teach Irish. We should all be coming out of secondary school proficient in speaking the language.

The witnesses talked about the NCCA's work on the new leaving certificate pathways. Do we have an unequivocal guarantee that the status of Irish as a full, core leaving certificate subject will not be diminished as a result of this process? I also express concern about the high level of exemptions in Irish at junior certificate and leaving certificate level. Some 24% of leaving certificate students did not sit the Irish exam last year and 20% of junior certificate students did not. Exemption seems to be easier and easier to get. We see an increase in the number of people getting exemptions, yet some of these students are doing Spanish, French or another European language. It is down to how it is taught. I know the NCCA's new leaving certificate cycle will be informed by the common European framework of reference for languages, CEFR. We need to see it rolled out and fully aligned with that programme so that languages can be taught to children of all abilities. I know some children have learning difficulties and that learning a second or third language is difficult for them, but if it is made to suit their needs and they can learn to have some level of Irish, it is better than an exemption. We need to stop rolling out the exemptions. Is there any plan to stop exemptions and to make the language accessible to all levels in our schools?

Mr. Gavan O'Leary:

I thank the Senator. I will ask Ms Tuohy to say a few words about the curriculum and some of the points the Senator made about that. If there is time, I will come back on the point about exemptions.

Ms Sinéad Tuohy:

One of the points of interest that probably reflects what the Senator has been saying to us is the inspection reports that we have access to. On Gaeilge at primary level, we saw from those reports that the inspectors identified a need for teachers to place a greater emphasis on pre-communication, communicative and post-communicative phases in Irish lessons to help the children to progress in their learning. Things like teaching vocabulary not in isolation but in an integrated manner would be envisaged in the integrated primary language curriculum. That requires a change in practice. It is there in the curriculum and the curriculum is leading it, but we know from our experience of educational change that that takes time.

The Senator spoke about rote learning at junior cycle. One of the aims in introducing the two classroom-based assessments at junior cycle Gaeilge was for students to work, first of all, on a portfolio across their time of learning that helps them to see their development incrementally, which is hugely motivating for young people. They can see that they are making progress, not just in their written Irish or comprehension but also in their oral Irish. It provided an opportunity for emphasis on oral Irish across the three years of junior cycle and also in the measúnú rangbhunaithe, MRB, or classroom-based assessment, CBA, that is particularly targeted at Gaeilge. We talk about students and their perspectives of it. One thing we learned from the early insights review that was conducted initially on junior cycle Gaeilge was that there was a need to move from a delivery aspect of Gaeilge, which was felt to be the focus of the MRB or CBA, to a more engaging interaction. That is being studied as part of the follow-up three-year study of the junior cycle.

We see the redevelopment of the senior cycle curriculum as an opportunity for Gaeilge. The development group are meeting today and are working towards that vision of the learner with increased motivation for Irish, increased interest in speaking Irish and an increased ability to speak Irish. That is fundamentally part of the developments. We consult widely regarding our background paper which is informing the work of that development group. We spoke to a broad range of students about their experience of Gaeilge. When we have a draft specification, we will return and speak to the students, in addition to the teachers and other stakeholders. I take the Senator's point that the change is really important.

Mr. Gavan O'Leary:

To clarify about the numbers not sitting the leaving certificate, it appears that there is a little misunderstanding or miscounting of the numbers who sit the leaving certificate established and the leaving certificate vocational programme. The percentage that sit Irish equates to about 82%, so it is about 18% rather than the 24% that has been quoted. It would appear that this is based on including the numbers sitting the leaving certificate applied, but the nature of the leaving certificate applied is that they do not get an Irish result because of the nature of the programme overall. Does Ms Tuohy want to speak on that?

Ms Sinéad Tuohy:

The Gaeilge that students in the leaving certificate applied programme study is Gaeilge chumarsáideach. They do not sit the leaving certificate Gaeilge exam, as many students do. They sit a Gaeilge chumarsáideach, which is a focus on real world Irish, spoken Irish and Irish in the world around them.

Pauline Tully (Sinn Fein)
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A figure of 18% is still very high. Practically 100% sit maths and English.

Mr. Gavan O'Leary:

COGG is doing a lot of work to try to address the issues around the level of exemptions. It recently did a call for research and has a communications and marketing officer. If time allows, Ms Ní Fhearghusa might be able to talk more about that.

Joe Conway (Independent)
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Tá teorainn ama orm faoi láthair agus beidh mé ábalta mo phointe a dhéanamh i mBéarla, so I will start by saying that this is a very brief historical look back at my experience of Irish education, from my primary school. I received my primary education and Irish teaching in a two-teacher school in County Longford. I was taught for four years by the teaching principal from County Offaly, who trained in De La Salle in Waterford. He would not have been an Irish speaker. I would probably be the only person in the room here who sat the old primary certificate. In those days, we were coached for the county scholarship.

The standard of Irish I had leaving primary school was probably as good as the standard I had when coming out of St. Patrick’s College in 1973. County scholarship level was roughly the equivalent of ardteistiméireacht level, or higher level. It was the level of the children of around 13 years of age, which shows the sort of decline I have seen in the teaching of Gaeilge over the years.

I was fortunate to have very good teaching at second level. I went into the training college, where I was interviewed by a Roinn cigire, Pádraig Ó hUallacháin, who was a stickler. I got through that and had two lovely years in St. Patrick's College. Off I went then to a school, which coincided with thenua-Ghaeilge coming in. The nua-Ghaeilge was foisted on the teaching staff all over the country and they hated it. That is where a large part of the problem that we have inherited comes from. It was a matter of the breakdown in support for Irish teaching in the exemplars that were given by the Government – the modh closamhairc, as they used to call it. I then spent 32 years teaching and was a teaching principal. In 2005, I started working with one of the colleges of education, which gave me an opportunity for 20 years, right up to the time I came into this House, of going around to schools in Leinster, Munster, Connacht and Ulster. Owing to my predilection for Irish, I was given an opportunity to supervise a lot of Irish lessons. Let me refer to what I found when I went into schools. I really do not want to be in any way insulting or derogatory, but I just want to speak the truth. I do not want any answers to this; I just want the witnesses to go away and honestly think about what I am saying. I would have seen about 1,000 student teachers in my 20 years giving Irish lessons. If that were regarded as an Ipsos or RedC poll, it would be a valid survey. I would say about 10% of the student teachers, or maybe 100 out of the 1,000 I saw in the 20 years, would have passable Gaeilge. The other 90%, and I have used this expression both at meetings of coiste na Gaeilge and here, were functionally illiterate, nó go feidhmiúil neamhliteartha, in Gaeilge. I have to say that is my experience. To talk about reviving the language with a teaching force of that nature is an issue.

We heard Senators Nelson Murray and Tully say it is really the teaching that is at fault. Unless we look at the whole mode of teaching Gaeilge at primary school, we have an issue. A couple of years ago, the time for teaching was actually cut down. When we look at the census results, we see people saying they have a facility in Irish, but that is not my experience. I am very fearful that if we keep carrying on down the same road as we are going at the moment, there will not be a Gaeilge to resurrect in another generation, maybe not even that long. This is the elephant in the room.

Let me give a little bit of smaointeoireacht réabhlóideach. The grade C for people going into the colleges of education is insultingly low. That has to be examined. It is far too low for people going in to teach Gaeilge. The second thing is that most of the teachers I came across in the schools I visited had no great interest in atmaisféar Gaeilge a chothú sna gnáthscoileanna. I am talking about the scoileanna in the galltacht. We need a cohort of well-intentioned teachers who have the facility with Gaeilge and who are available to schools to support them. In England, the inspectorate registers schools that are failing. I would not like it to be as bleak as that, but the inspectorate should man up here and say when a school is not fit for purpose in the teaching of Gaeilge, and say that it will bring in ancillary teaching, maybe through seconding people from the Gaelscoileanna, where the situation is much healthier. In the gnáthscoileanna sa ghalltacht, the situation is dire. There is no point in having all these think-tanks and organisations coming in when the fact of the matter is that the teaching staff going into the schools faoi láthair are, by and large, not fit to teach the language. Unless we recognise that, we are at nothing. Táimid ag dul ar aghaidh le tada.All present will have read their scripture, I am sure, and therefore will have heard about going out into the desert, reeds shaking in the wind and a voice crying in the wilderness. We need a few more voices in the wilderness. This is the truth, as far as I can see it, and it is a nettle that has to be grasped. Unless we do so, we will not have a language. I do not want an answer; I just want the witnesses to go off and think about this.

Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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We are out of time. I thank the Senator. We are going to have a second round. I want to take up from where Senator Conway left off because his contribution was very interesting and insightful.

I was born in 1982 and went through the old curriculum, the pre-1998 curriculum. I went on to second level and ended up becoming a primary school teacher and taught for 16 years. The most immersive and in-depth language experience I had was during the three weeks in Ballyferriter I referred to, when my standard of Irish was the best it has ever been. Back in the primary school classroom, which was a wonderful experience, I was back to snáithe and snáithaonaid, and a very defined set of curriculum topics, including "sa bhaile" and "ar scoil". It is very topical Irish. I thought my Irish was grand and I used to make a conscious decision to use Gaeilge neamhfhoirmiúil i rith an lae. I would be moving around the classroom trying to keep the lessons interesting and I would use Irish alone for the 40-minute lesson. I was fortunate to be elected to the Dáil in 2020. In my first week, the Fianna Fáil press office asked me whether I would do a debate one evening on Raidió na Gaeltachta. I was told it was with Catherine Connolly, our current President. I asked what we were debating and was told it was mother and baby homes. "Mother of God," I said. I could have talked about "sa bhaile" and "ar scoil" but could not marry the whole thing together and debate Ms Connolly. That was it. I realised at that moment, having had a high level of confidence in the classroom, that my Irish was well below par. Since then, I have only done pre-recorded interviews and I usually shy away from them. This is indicative of where things have got to. We need to allow our teachers to go back to having immersive experiences to keep their levels of Irish up.

We have a range of speakers from those with fabulous Irish and who use it daily, including Deputy Ní Raghallaigh, to those who may have lapsed and who want to improve. There is eagerness among all adults to have better Irish or improve it. That is the glowing hope we have here. When members of this committee went to Finland recently, we saw language specialist teachers going in to lead lessons in Swedish. This is what Senator Conway was on about. Swedish is the Finns' second language. The Swedish teacher comes in and leads the lesson to a very high standard, and someone else leads out on the PE curriculum. Senator Conway and I were teaching 13 subjects, which meant dipping in and out and hitting on the standard fairly well, but maybe not to the required level. Should the future entail having a specialist ag spreagadh na páistí who is flúirseach sa Ghaeilge, leading and teaching to the very highest standard to improve the standard of learning in the school, maybe with other teachers covering other topics? Maybe we will have to have specialist teachers in other areas as well. Is that the way forward?

Mr. Gavan O'Leary:

I might ask Ms Ní Mháille to answer first on ongoing teacher development.

Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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If members show forbearance, I want to get an answer. I will give them equal amounts of time afterwards. It is important that I get an answer on this.

Mr. Gavan O'Leary:

Ms Ní Mháille will respond on teachers’ professional development and the ongoing work in relation to that, and Ms Tuohy will answer on the integrated nature of the primary school curriculum. It might be worth picking up on some of the Chair’s comments.

Ms Aoife Ní Mháille:

Míle buíochas as bhur gcuid macántachta. I value the honesty in the questions. Teachers are the lifeblood of the education system, and that is the basis of the work Oide does. Teachers are our greatest resource. We have been very fortunate this year in Oide to have resourcing for an additional team to support an plean gnímh don Ghaeilge i scoileanna meán-Bhéarla. We are working tirelessly to put supports in place for teachers through professional learning and to give an opportunity to consider best practice. We know the Céim standards review, which was mentioned earlier, is going to happen but the focus of the teacher professional learning element, PLE, which is targeting improving Gaeilge, is the communication approach. It is about fun and playful pedagogies for the students and, as Ms Tuohy has rightly outlined in respect of the curriculum at primary and post-primary levels, about getting students speaking Gaeilge and functioning in real-life scenarios.

I will very briefly mention that we have supported the CLIL project for Irish. This year, we focused on trying to help-----

Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Will the witnesses address the issue of specialist teachers? I am just conscious of the time. I will give everyone extra time. I refer to the idea of having a specialist Irish language teacher leading out on the curriculum.

Mr. Gavan O'Leary:

Perhaps Ms Tuohy could deal with that question.

Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I am sorry about the time. I ask Ms Tuohy to be as brief as she can.

Ms Sinéad Tuohy:

The NCCA's remit is very much the curriculum. To come back to the integrated curriculum in primary school, that will do a huge amount in terms of transferable skills in languages. That is really important, regardless of the language, whether it is Swedish, Finnish or any other language you are learning. Within that integrated language curriculum encompassing Gaeilge, Béarla and the modern languages, students will have the opportunity to become more aware of their identity as language learners and to work between languages. That will be a significant support to language acquisition at primary level.

Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I appreciate that. We will have five minutes per member. I went over time.

Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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Tiocfaidh mé ar ais chuig an suirbhé sin chun críochnú. An mbeadh Gavan O'Leary sásta na figiúirí i leith tuismitheoirí réamhscoile a léirigh spéis i rogha lán-Ghaeilge a thabhairt dom inniu seachas fanacht go dtí an dara ceathrú? Is dócha go bhfuil na figiúirí aige. An dtabharfaidh sé na figiúirí sin dom?

Mr. Gavan O'Leary:

Níl na figiúirí agam ach-----

Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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Níl siad ag Gavan O'Leary ach tá siad-----

Mr. Gavan O'Leary:

-----tá siad chun a bheith eisithe. Mar a thuigim é, tá na daoine a bhí i mbun an tsuirbhé sin chun na sonraí a ligean amach.

Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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Tá siad chun iad a fhoilsiú.

Mr. Gavan O'Leary:

Ní hamháin go mbeadh anailís déanta ar na sonraí sin, ach beidh siad in úsáid i réimse an phleanáil scoile. Mar a dúradh níos-----

Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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Níl siad ag Gavan O'Leary ar chor ar bith. Cad faoin seisear taobh thiar de? An bhfuil an céatadán sin ag aon duine inniu?

Mr. Gavan O'Leary:

Ní dóigh liom go bhfuil.

Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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An féidir fiú a rá liom an bhfuil an figiúr sin níos mó nó níos lú ná 13%?

Mr. Gavan O'Leary:

Gabh mo leithscéal ach níl sé agamsa. Mar a dúirt mé, tá a fhios agam go bhfuiltear chun na sonraí a ligean amach agus go mbeidh níos mó sonraí áitiúla ann freisin. Is é an plean atá ann ná dul i dteagmháil leis na pobail áitiúla, go háirithe sna háiteanna ina bhfuil obair le déanamh maidir le hilchreidmheachas agus leis an nGaelscolaíocht.

Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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Tá sé sin ceart go leor. Gabhaim buíochas leis an bhfinné. Bogfaidh mé ar aghaidh go dtí na díolúintí. Tá a fhios agam gur luaigh cúpla Teachta agus Seanadóir go raibh plé air sin cheana féin. Is cúis imní líon ard na ndíolúintí. Is ceann de na príomhfhadhbanna a fheicim ná go bhfuil deacracht ó thaobh tacaíocht bhreise agus an clár ama de. Bíonn ar thuismitheoirí rogha a dhéanamh idir tacaíocht bhreise a fháil dá bpáistí agus Gaeilge a fhoghlaim. An bhfuil aon phlean ag an Roinn chun dul i ngleic leis an gcuid sin d'fhadhb na ndíolúintí?

Mr. Gavan O'Leary:

Maidir leis na díolúintí, mar a phléamar ag an gcoiste Gaeilge nuair a bhí comhghleacaí liom a oibríonn ar riachtanais oideachais speisialta ann, tá páistí le riachtanais oideachais speisialta gur féidir leo an Ghaeilge a fhoghlaim. Tá taithí againn air sin. Tá páistí mar sin ag freastal ar Ghaelscoileanna agus iad in ann a gcuid oideachais a fháil trí mheán na Gaeilge. Tá sé tábhachtach an pointe sin a dhéanamh.

Maidir leis na díolúintí, ag leibhéal na bunscoile, d'imigh líon na ndíolúintí síos le déanaí. In 2017, ba 3.25% an figiúr. Faoin gcuraclam nua, d'imigh sé sin síos go 2.2% in 2024. Ní mar sin an scéal ag an iar-bhunleibhéal.

Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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Tá a fhios agam. Tá brón orm as teacht isteach ach tá na figiúirí go léir ar eolas agam. Tá an rud seo an-tábhachtach. An bhfuil aon rud sa pholasaí nua maidir leis?

Mr. Gavan O'Leary:

Mar a dúirt mé níos luaithe, tá a fhios agam go bhfuil obair idir lámha ag an Roinn agus ag COGG maidir le líon na ndíolúintí. Fuaireamar moladh ón gcoiste Gaeilge agus Gaeltachta bileog faisnéise a thabhairt do thuismitheoirí maidir leis na buntáistí a bhaineann leis an nGaeilge a fhoghlaim. Tá sé sin idir lámha againn. Ghlacamar leis an moladh sin ar na buntáistí sóisialta, eacnamaíocha agus cultúrtha a bhaineann leis. Mar a dúirt mé, rinne COGG taighde chun an obair sin a thógáil ar aghaidh. Tá oifigeach cumarsáide agus margaíochta á earcú aige. An é sin mar atá an scéal? B'fhéidir gur féidir le Jacqueline Ní Fhearghusa teacht isteach ar an obair atá á déanamh.

Ms Jacqueline Ní Fhearghusa:

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as an gceist. Tá go leor gnéithe éagsúla ag baint leis an obair atá ar siúl ag COGG. Faoi láthair, tá SEALBHÚ in DCU ag déanamh taighde dúinn maidir leis na buntáistí a bhaineann le foghlaim an dara teanga. Uaidh sin, tá sé i gceist againn feachtas cumarsáide a reáchtáil. Táimid ag lorg léirithe spéise ar eTenders. Tá sé i gceist againn feachtas cumarsáide a chur le chéile a léireoidh do thuismitheoirí agus do phobal na tíre i gcoitinne na buntáistí a bhaineann leis an teanga. Ag piocadh suas ar chuid de na pointí eile, tá sé an-tábhachtach go bhfeiceann daoine óga go bhfuil todhchaí ag baint le húsáid na Gaeilge. Is é sin an fáth go bhfuil an pacáiste seo ullmhaithe againn maidir le gairmeacha agus deiseanna a bhaineann leis an nGaeilge tar éis an scoil a fhágáil. Tá an-bhrón orm go ndeachaigh mé thar am. Is féidir liom an t-eolas sin go léir a chur ar fáil don chomhchoiste tar éis an chruinnithe.

Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Tá sé sin go hiontach.

Jen Cummins (Dublin South Central, Social Democrats)
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With regard to Gaeltacht places, I worked in DEIS schools for a long time. I know that DEIS schools and school completion programmes support young people to go to the Gaeltacht. However, there is a difficulty for young people whose parents both work. With the current cost-of-living crisis, the Gaeltacht is at the bottom of the list for many parents. To attend a two-week course costs in the thousands. It is very expensive. There are many organisations involved with the Irish language. Are there possibilities for families to be supported to send their children to the Gaeltacht? It is similar for many adults. I did Oideas Gael courses for two summers in a row. I met people from all walks of life who were learning Irish. It was absolutely fantastic. I might add that there were people from all over the world there. It was very heartening to be there, although I may have been a bit disheartened because I was not as good as half of the people there from Germany or America who had been coming to Donegal for years. Are there supports for people to go the Gaeltacht? Such supports would be really helpful.

Because the language is living, it is really important to be able to use it in everyday life. There is a website run by Baile Átha Cliath le Gaeilge that shows all of the different shops where you can use Irish. That is brilliant. I have not gone to any of the shops because I am terrified that I will not know what to say but I will prepare and go. There are actually a number of such businesses in my own constituency. The fact that Irish is growing and that there are more and more people wanting to learn it shows that there is a little bit of a delay in our education system. That love is not being instilled in the way we want. All of the witnesses are showing their love for Irish. I am not saying anything bad about them. However, there is a missing piece in school and that is really saddening to see. I hope the changes that are being made will work. The witnesses spoke about providing information. My children are bilingual in German. We do not need to sell the idea to parents. They know it. What we need are opportunities to use the language, whether attending a Gaelscoil or Gaelcholáiste, going to the Gaeltacht or using it sna siopaí. It is really important.

Are there supports for children and families to go to the Gaeltacht? Is there any other advice the witnesses would like to give to people who want to learn Irish? I am still not sold on the idea that our curriculum is actually going to deliver a living language if we have no opportunities to use it outside of school.

Mr. Gavan O'Leary:

There is a lot in that in relation to the mindset. As I said at the start, that is one of the foundational issues in relation to the action plan. It is to try to improve the attitude and to make it a more positive experience for learners. In addition, it is important that it not just be in schools but that people see this. The Deputy makes the point about people using it in shops and everyday life. I think there are opportunities around that such that the students then see this as being broader than just an exam subject. I do not know if my colleagues from the Department of further and higher education want to come in on adult learning. Yes, there are Gaeltacht scholarships. Primarily, that is handled by the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, but there are scholarships available to people to pursue the residential courses and they are very valuable. As I said at the start, they are private entities; they are not part of the public education system. However, the inspectorate visits and, on behalf of the Minister of State with responsibility for the Gaeltacht, provides a role in relation to the quality of teaching and learning that is happening. It provides advisory visits and reports to the Minister and to the colleges around that.

In terms of the curricular work, that is going to try to promote that more positive view and to make it a more positive experience. As regards our FCÁT, there is a lot of good work being done there in relation to CLILs.

Does Ms Ní Mháille want to come in?

Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I ask people to keep an eye on the clock because we have to get other members in and we have to vacate the room shortly. I ask you to be brief in the response, Ms Ní Mháille.

Ms Aoife Ní Mháille:

In terms of the CLIL project, we have had significant growth in the number of schools participating in the past three years. The supports offered there are really around making sure that children are enjoying learning and that they are seeing functions of Irish outside of a distinct Irish lesson and looking at integrating that with other languages. We ran an interactive quiz for schools participating this year, and that was hugely successful. They are the points we want teachers to get to through that project.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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May I ask the NCCA about the T1-T2 system and the proposal that it will not now be included? Can the NCCA explain the rationale? I know there are different arguments in relation to that and, in response to Senator Conway's point, excellence is important. We are talking about one exam catching all students, including those where Irish is their daily language, children in Gaeltacht schools and excellent students in Gaelcholáistí and in English-medium schools. Not to give them a separate exam or additional credit for that seems like a missed opportunity to me, first in terms of excellence, but also in terms of the opportunity to incentivise people to spend more time with this exam. We had the perverse situation with the junior cert where students were studying a harder exam and getting a lesser result for it. That is exactly the feedback I got back from Gaeltacht schools, one of which I have in my county. I ask the witnesses for their response to that.

Ms Sinéad Tuohy:

I will start with the junior cycle, if that is okay. That would have been one of the points that emerged during the early insights review in terms of the 2016 specifications, which is what led to the changes that were made to the specifications that were introduced in 2023. That is the reason we are tracking those specifications across a three-year study both in the T1 schools, like the one in the Deputy's constituency, and in the T2 schools, as well as to get a sense of the lived experience of those. There are two reports completed from that study. The third report is under way at the minute. The third report will capture the third year but also have a summation across the three years. That is capturing students, teachers, parents, school leaders and a wide range of stakeholders, so we would hope to have greater feedback from that lived experience of the curriculum.

In terms of T1-T2 for senior cycle, in line with Government policy, the NCCA commenced development of differentiated specifications for T1 and T2 in 2018. Feedback gathered in 2021 suggested that there were broader systemic issues that were going to be problematic in terms of proceeding with the T1-T2 model, including the model of provision, policy coherence and so on. As a result, we paused that work and, on our council's advice, commenced research on alignment with the common European framework of reference while also examining language education in other countries to see what we could learn from those jurisdictions. This then informed the advice to the Minister in 2025 as to what our council put forward. Based on that, we are now updating the curriculum in line with the current model of provision, which would mean it would be assessed at foundation level, ordinary level and higher level, as it exists. That would give an opportunity to, as the Deputy says, capture the student proficiency across a range, for example, students who have an excellent level as well as students whom we want to encourage to continue.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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There was a proposal, was there not, from a range of stakeholders that there would be nearly an optional subject like a practical or-----

Ms Sinéad Tuohy:

The introduction of subjects would be for my colleagues from the Department to speak to, but we do have some work under way on pathways, which is coming in under a broader senior cycle advisory report. That will give an opportunity to look at the options for students but, again, that work is at an early stage. We are working with a number of schools around that to capture the students' perspective, the teachers' perspective, the parents' perspective and the schools' broader perspective. That work, when there are proposals from it, will go out for consultation, which we do as a daily part of our work. That is something we are considering, not just for Gaeilge, but for the broader range in terms of senior cycle options as well.

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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I thank Ms Tuohy for that.

May I ask Mr. O'Leary, going back to the earlier point, about the unmet need? Is there any relationship between the Department and the forward planning and building unit in terms of the provision of Irish-medium education?

Mr. Gavan O'Leary:

We have a good working relationship with our colleagues in the forward planning unit and, indeed, across the planning and building unit because we recognise that it is not just about the forward planning but also about site acquisition and capital appraisal. In addition, we are very aware that there are some schools where they have been established but are waiting for a building. I have some figures, if time permits, on the number of schools that are in the process, so to speak, or are on site. I know there has been a huge amount of investment in the capital estate in relation to it.

Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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If you could briefly-----

Mr. Gavan O'Leary:

Yes. Since 2020, ten Gaelscoileanna and Gaelcholáistí have been completed, and currently another nine are on site or in construction, so there has been a huge amount of work. There are others that are in the process of moving towards construction, and some of those have been included in the priority list that was published last year. There is a huge amount of work under way, and we would obviously be very supportive of that work and would welcome it.

Pauline Tully (Sinn Fein)
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To come back to the issue of Gaelscoileanna, I come from County Cavan and níl ach Gaelscoil amháin sa chontae sin. However, there is a huge demand on the ground and there are communities looking for Gaelscoileanna to open. I welcome the fact that Corlea National School has just recently been redesignated and will become a Gaelscoil. I wonder if more could be done around that because it seems to be the only way to get more Gaelscoileanna to open. There is a reluctance by the Department to open them anyway. Can more be done to encourage teachers in primary schools to teach as Gaeilge, more than just the Irish section of the day, and even to consider redesignation of their schools as Gaelscoileanna? What supports or information is there for schools to know how to do that should they so wish? I know some primary schools that have a really good policy of teaching everything through Irish bar the little section on English during the day.

What is the connection between the Departments of education and children on preschool and early education through Irish? Is there a connection there? It is like connecting the preschool with the Gaelscoileanna and the Gaelcholáistí, in that we need to see a planned progression there in areas to meet the demand.

We have a target of 20% public sector recruits being proficient in Irish by the end of 2030. What is being done to reach that target? I cannot see anything being actively done on the ground about that.

There are good initiatives being rolled out in some of our further and higher education units and through the HEA and that is very welcome, but how many courses in further and higher education are offered through Irish? I am not talking about the language itself as if people are doing a degree in Irish that is as Gaeilge but are any other degrees, such as in engineering, medicine or whatever, being offered through Irish?

Mr. Gavan O'Leary:

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Seanadóir. There are a number of different aspects to that. To answer on the Department of children and the work we do with it, it is currently developing its national plan for the Irish language for early learning and care and school-age childcare settings. The Department of education is working closely with it on the development of that policy and also had input into the development of our policies on Irish-medium education outside the Gaeltacht. It also worked with us when the policy on Gaeltacht education was being developed, so we recognise the synergies there and there are probably also some curriculum points around that if we have time for that. It was one of the issues that were covered in the survey as well, just around preschools and how that ties in with future provision of schools. Parents of preschool children were invited to participate in that survey.

On the transitioning of English-medium schools to Irish-medium schools, there have been some very successful examples of that and I think the schools in question have seen an increase in enrolment when they have made that transition. It takes a lot of consultation and you have to work with the school community to ensure it is delivered successfully. There are lessons that can be learned around that. We worked with the education partners in relation to examples of where that has happened and how that can be done successfully. It also means a new building is not always required, with all the expense that involves. There have been, as I said, good examples that can be followed on this.

I do not know whether the colleagues from the Department want to come in on part of the Senator's question.

Ms Jean O'Mahony:

I am happy to take that. The Senator asked how many courses are available through the medium of Irish which are not about the Irish language. There is a very limited number. Our understanding is there two, namely, DCU's MSc sa bhainistíocht agus gnó digiteach agus the MA in cleachtas gairmiúil sna meáin in Galway. It is not entirely straightforward to assess the number of students who are studying Irish in university for various reasons. The most recent figures I have available show there are about 420 studying Irish through the medium of Irish. A lot of those would be studying the Irish language. There are 2,625 studying courses partially through Irish and they are heavily skewed towards courses in the education sector. If the Senator would like we can furnish her with the figures afterwards.

Joe Conway (Independent)
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The witnesses will all have noticed Senator Scahill had to leave for other stuff, perhaps up in the House. If I got time in the second round he asked me if would be so good as to put a question for him. I would like to use my time to do so, in the great spirit of collegiality our Upper House is famous for. I am happy to accede to the Government Senator even though I am an Independent Senator.

Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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That might be worth a few Seanad votes, you never know.

Joe Conway (Independent)
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You never know. That is if one was running again. The question is straightforward enough. The specifications for junior cycle claim to align more or less with the CEFR but the NCCA's commissioned research on CEFR found they were not aligned in practice. What concrete steps has the NCCA taken to ensure the same failure is not repeated at leaving certificate? What is being done to ensure alignment with the CEFR in the junior cycle? Sin é.

Mr. Gavan O'Leary:

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Seanadóir. Iarrfaidh mé ar Ms Tuohy teacht isteach ar son an CMCM agus beidh sí in ann níos mó sonraí a thabhairt ina freagra.

Ms Sinéad Tuohy:

Gabhaim buíochas le Mr. O'Leary. I thank the Senator for the question and his collegiality with his colleague in the Upper House. The research report he refers to is one of three we commissioned in terms of the work we did in advance of the 2025 advice to the Minister on moving towards the alignment with the CEFR. What the specifications talk about is being broadly aligned with the common European framework of reference in terms of junior cycle. They also make reference to the fact - which is a lived reality for learners, as we all know from learning languages ourselves - that the different language skills can be developed at different points in terms of competence. They are two important things, especially if we think of our young junior cycle learners building on their experience from primary, and it is really important we take that into consideration.

On the work going forward, where we are at with the junior cycle piece at the minute is that three-year study. We are in year 3 of that study to gain greater insights into the lived experience of the revised specifications, which were revised based on feedback from teachers, students and schools and stakeholders more broadly. The work we are doing at present on alignment with the CEFR is learning from those three research reports we had done on it, one of which the Senator referenced, but there is broad learning across those on alignment for the curriculum. Our current leaving certificate development group is working towards that. The work we are doing for senior cycle is set out in two phases. There is the work that is under way at the moment, which is about incorporating alignment with the CEFR by focusing on the language to be learned, which will include using our new curriculum template to help specify that curriculum. Then we will draw on those research papers, in terms of the perspectives the Senator has just mentioned. We cannot just talk about alignment of the curriculum at one stage. The action in the programme for Government talks about alignment across the different stages of education and moving towards that alignment with a focus on oral language. We will also be commissioning research on the alignment of curriculum provision at primary and junior cycle and that is being integrated into our current plan of work. We are also doing some research on teachers and their understanding and work with the CEFR. That is really important because we have all spoken today about the key role of the teacher in the enactment of the curriculum. That work is really important to us and is getting under way shortly. Supported by all this and in line with that commitment in the programme for Government, we will advance that work on achieving closer alignment with CEFR across all sectors of the curriculum.

Joe Conway (Independent)
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That gives me about a minute to reference a systemic problem. The Cathaoirleach will know this from his time in primary school as well. Indeed, it is common to teachers at all levels. We are suffering from what I think is called the law of finite return. When I was in primary school there was Irish, English and maths - or arithmetic as it was called - history and geography. That was the curriculum. Now we have a primary school curriculum that could encompass 20 varying subjects. I do not know but it could be up to that when you split it up. The problem is that if you keep pouring stuff into a jug a lot of it is going to overflow. There is a systemic problem in the way teachers are expected to be jacks of all trades and to encompass all this. That is one of the reasons Irish is getting pushed and squeezed out because there are so many demands from society and parents to encompass other subjects.

Again, it is not something I want an answer to, but it is worthwhile putting on the record of the committee that curricula are basically overcrowded to death at this stage.

Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I saw recently that the joe.ie website had those copybooks with the round tower on them that we all had as youngsters. It was a copy from the mid-nineties. You would want to have seen the quality of the handwriting and penmanship as well as the aiste Gaelige written on a Friday by a ten-year-old or 11-year-old child. We have to ask ourselves as the Government, Opposition, policymakers and policy implementing bodies how a child in the nineties was able to churn out such grammatically high-quality Irish with penmanship and knowledge of verbs and structure. We still find ourselves in classrooms with kids who, after four and five years of education, are going back to the uimhreacha and the dathanna in the month of September and rehashing this dulled down and diluted language. There is something radically wrong here. No matter what debate we are having or policy were are discussing, we are all in the business, politically speaking, of trying to improve things, as are the witnesses, but some of the commentary from Senator Conway was insightful about where things have got to. I do not know where blame lies, but the solutions have to be looked at.

Tá am breise againn. We are finished with the questions. We are going to put six minutes on the clock. I am conscious of tapping the glass. I did a bit of tapping the glass down in Ballyferriter as well, Senator Conway, but they never refilled it, but today we have am breise and there are six minutes, if the witnesses want to make concluding remarks. I am conscious that we sometimes close out when they are trying to say something. They might share that time.

Mr. Gavan O'Leary:

Go raibh maith agat, a Chathaoirligh. We did not mention the Gaelbhratach scheme during the conversation, and it ties in with some of what was said about promoting a positive meon aigne working across the school. That is something that the Department and Foras na Gaelige have been working on in terms of giving resources to it and promoting the participation of schools in the scheme. It is a good opportunity for us to mention it among the lots of work that is being done. I do not want to monopolise the time, so I will the pass the conch.

Ms Sinéad Tuohy:

Maidir le Gaelbhratach, regarding Gaelbhratach, Deputy Ní Raghallaigh and I were lucky enough yesterday to experience the Gaelbhratach in action in the coiste don Ghaeltacht agus don teanga Ghaeilge. That echoes what we are hearing about the curriculum. In the junior cycle study, one of the positive pieces we are hearing is around the accessing of those supports that, as Mr. O'Leary mentioned, are cross-agency.

There was a huge interest in the primary piece, the primary curriculum and the old round tower copybooks and so on. The newly redeveloped primary curriculum has five broad redeveloped curriculum areas. We heard a little bit there about curriculum overload. In 1999, which was when the previous version was introduced, there were 12. With the primary curriculum, there is also an opportunity to focus on Gaeilge neamhfhoirmiúil, the informal use of the language, and teachers are supported and encouraged to do that through the materials and through the materials that our colleagues in Oide have available.

Ms Aoife Ní Mháille:

Oide presents a new opportunity for us to look at things differently. If the members recall from my opening statement, GaelAonad is only three years old. We are supporting teaching and learning through the medium of Irish, but we are also supporting the curricular area. We can see the huge investment the Department is making in that.

I also applaud the positivity here today. It is really important we share the success stories, and there are some. We are working to build more capacity in our teachers to enact everything that has been mentioned today. In forums like this, we need to shine the light on the positivity and it is great to see that there are positive attitudes published in that survey finding that Deputy Ní Raghallaigh mentioned earlier. That is one of our bunchlocha for the plean gnímh don Ghaeilge. Is féidir linn ar fad le chéile.

Ms Jacqueline Ní Fhearghusa:

I want to mention a couple of things. For the past two years, COGG has been providing free upskilling courses across all of the education centres in July for primary teachers, so that they can come and re-engage with the language in a very enjoyable way. We have got fantastic feedback and the teachers then go back to their schools with free resources and, it is hoped, a renewed energy and enthusiasm for teaching Irish. We really hope to build on that in the coming years.

On the plean gnímh don Ghaeilge, Is féidir liom, is féidir linn, we have a design team which we recruited and started last September. That team will be developing a range of resources starting in junior infants which will focus on listening and oral skills initially, instead of perhaps children focusing on writing and focusing on dathanna agus míonna na blianta. We hope that those resources, which we plan to pilot in the next school year, will bring a new energy and enjoyment to the learning of Irish in L2 schools.

Ms Jean O'Mahony:

I want to come back to Senator Tully's question about the 20% target for recruitment to the public sector by 2030. As I mentioned in my opening remarks, there is potentially a significant role for the further and higher education sector in developing specific language skills as people are coming through and who would then be available to work in the public service.

There are a number of things under way. Recognising the autonomy of the higher education sector in particular, we want to work with the sector to look at what are the practical ways in which it can expand provision and be supported by the Department. Work with our colleagues in the Department of rural and community development is far advanced on that, and we hope to get that progressed and set up very shortly.

I mentioned the expressions of interest, and if responses from the higher education sector come back wanting to provide courses through the medium of Irish, they will be prioritised in that process. As my colleague mentioned, we are also looking at what the fundamental elements are that contribute to demand. What are the facts on the ground about the demand for Irish-medium education and potential constraints that we can look at addressing. That is the piece of research being done by our colleagues in the University of Galway. There are a number of pieces of work under way that we are looking at.

Dr. Jack Gleeson:

In terms of courses that are currently available, there are also a small number of micro-credential courses on language planning and language promotion in the workplace, which people take as part of CPD, that are available through Irish at the minute. They are offered the University of Galway and the University of Limerick. Cuireann Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge in Ollscoil na Gaillimhe roinnt modúl ar fáil trí Ghaeilge freisin nach mbaineann an t-ábhar féin leis an nGaeilge. Mar shampla, tá modúil maidir le STEM ar fáil trí Ghaeilge. Is féidir staidéar a dhéanamh ar an bhFraincis trí Ghaeilge agus tá modúil eile sna dána ar fáil.

Mar a dúirt Jean, the research in Galway should give us a good idea of current course provision as well as the opportunities for the higher education sector to respond to the 20% target.

Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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In terms of a little bit of housekeeping, I think Deputy Ní Raghallaigh mentioned the primary school survey during her contribution. The secretariat has advised me that a letter has been issued from this committee to the Minister asking her to publish that survey expeditiously and in full and to provide the joint committee with a full copy of same. It is to be hoped we will get that and we will not have to chase up on it too much.

Thar cheann an choiste, gabhaim buíochas leis na finnéithe as teacht isteach inniu. Ba mhór ab fhiú an fhaisnéis a tugadh. Tá an comhchoiste ar athló anois go dtí an Chéadaoin, an 10 Meitheamh 2026 ar 12.30 p.m.