Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)

I hope the Minister will not have any difficulty in responding to this matter, which is with regard to a quite specific change which occurred under the Fianna Fáil and Green Party Government which changed the pupil-teacher ratio for gaelscoileanna and applied it retrospectively. Changing the pupil-teacher ratio would be a problem in itself, but by applying it retrospectively Gaelscoil Inse Chóir and 30 other gaelscoileanna will lose a teacher this year. In all sense of justice and fair play I urge the Minister to row back on this decision for this year at least.

In September last year, gaelscoileanna like all other primary schools applied the rules as they stood. In most cases, they prevented children entering the school because they had reached the quota and did not want to overcrowd the classes. In the case of Gaelscoil Inse Chóir, it achieved what it thought was the required number to have a staff of nine teachers when the school term started. However, lo and behold in February it was told the criteria had been changed retrospectively. At that stage, children could not be enrolled because they had already enrolled elsewhere. If that were allowed by the Department it would address the problem.

Many of the children in Gaelscoil Inse Chóir come from disadvantaged areas and it has been quite successful in promoting the Irish language in difficult circumstances. Tá líon beag páistí ag freastal ar an scoil agus tá siad tar éis iarracht a dhéanamh le tamall de bhlianta anuas cur leis an líon páistí. In ainneoin ciorraithe i mbuiséad na scoile agus scoileanna eile, déanadh iarracht mhór cur leis an scoil.

Le déanaí, in ainneoin gach rud a dúramar faoin Roinn Oideachais agus Scileanna, tá foirgneamh nua tógtha le ceithre seomra ranga nua. Osclófar roimh dheireadh na míosa seo é, ach ní úsáidfear ceann des na ranganna nua sin toisc nach bhfuil muinteoir uimhir a naoi á maoineadh, toisc an athrú a tharla i mbliana.

Bhí deis ag an Aire tarraingt siar ón chinneadh a rinne an Rialtas a chuaigh thart. Ní sábhálfaidh an cinneadh an oiread sin airgid, ach cuirfidh sé leis an ualach ar pháistí atá ag freastail ar ghaelscoileanna, ach go háirithe, an Ghaeilge agus na hábhair atá á mhúineadh tré Ghaeilge a fhoghlaim in atmasféar ina bhfuil Béarla, don chuid is mó, lasmuigh den seomra ranga.

Tá ualach níos troime ar pháistí agus ar mhúinteoirí na nGaelscoileanna. Tugadh aitheantas thar na blianta don ualach sin agus dos na difríochtai sin. Sin an fáth go mbíodh an cóimheas idir mic léinn agus múinteoirí difriúil i nGaelscoileanna thar scoileanna eile. Dá mbeadh an cinneadh ag teacht i bhfeidhm sa bhliain seo chugainn agus a fhios ag na scoileanna faoi roimh Mí Meán Fhomhair bheadh loighic éigin ann, in ainneoin go mbeinn i gcoinne an chinneadh. Ach tá sé go huile is go hiomlán mícheart na rialacha a athrú leath-shlí tríd an bhliain.

Impím ar an Aire athrú a dhéanamh ag an staid seo, le gur féidir leis an scoil, agus leis na scoileanna eile atá ins an riocht céanna, pleanáil cheart a dhéanamh don bhliain seo chugainn ionas nach mbeidh daltaí óga measctha istigh i ranganna atá ró-mhór agus le daltaí atá ar leibhéil difriúla.

Má tá an Rialtas ag triail teacht ar airgead, tá fliúrse airgid ar fáil ins an cheantar, de réir cosúlachta. Tá a fhios seo agam mar tá páiste de mo chuid féin ag freastal ar Ghaelscoil Inse Chóir. Le cupla lá anuas, tá an OPW tar éis na mílte punt a chaitheamh ar fhéar a chur síos le go mheidh sé ann do bhanríon Shasana nuair a thiocfaidh sí.

Hundreds of square metres of grass have been rolled out in the avenue leading up to the school simply to welcome the British queen. The OPW seems to have no problem with finding money and perhaps if it has the funds to spare it can help the Department of Education and Skills to employ an additional teacher at the school next year. There will be no problem in future years because the school has a waiting list every year and it would have addressed the issue if it was given a fair opportunity to do so and if the new rule had not been applied retrospectively.

See this speech in context