Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)

Ach déanfaidh mé mo dhícheall cuid de a aistriú. D'iarr mé ar an Roinn script Ghaeilge a ullmhú ach i mBéarla atá sé.

Tá sé an-thábhachtach go bhfuil an cheist seo á plé agus molaim an Teachta as ucht an rud a dúirt sé. Beidh mé ag caint leis an Aire faoin méid a dúirt an Teachta agus neosfaidh mé dó na pointí nua nach raibh ar eolas agam go dtí seo ach go háirithe.

I ndiaidh bhuiséid 2011, tháinig athrú, ins na Gaelscoileanna ach go háirithe. Ó shin, tá an cóimheas idir dhaltaí agus múinteoirí cothrom, cuma más Gaelscoil nó scoil nach Gaelscoil atá ann. Tiocfaidh an riail seo i bhfeidhm ag tús na bliana acadúla seo chugainn, i Meán Fomhair 2011. Beidh líon na múinteoirí i nGaelscoil Inse Chóir maraon le líon na múinteoirí i scoil nach Gaelscoil í. An fáth go bhfuil sé seo ag titim amach ná go bhfuil cúrsaí airgeadais go práinneach ar fad. Ní féidir leis an Rialtas dul ar ais ar an chinneadh atá déanta ag an Rialtas a chuaigh romhainn.

The Gaelscoil movement is well established. Is é an tuairim atá ag an Aire nach gcuirfidh an cinneadh seo isteach ar fhás na nGaelscoileanna. Sin tuairim láidir an Aire agus na Roinne. The change in the staffing schedule will result in an overall reduction, of the order of 50 posts in Gaelscoileanna. Faoi láthair, tá níos mó ná 1,500 múinteoir ag obair ins na scoileanna seo. The actual impact at individual school level, including Gaelscoil Inse Chóir, is determined as part of the allocation process for 2011-12 and schools are being notified in the normal manner.

This case has been raised with my Department by Deputies Eric Byrne, Michael Conaghan and Catherine Byrne. They have been invited to submit an appeal to the primary staffing appeals board, which operates independently of the Department. The appeals board is next scheduled to meet towards the end of May and the school will receive notification of its decision shortly afterwards.

The Government will endeavour to protect front line education services as best as possible. However, this must be done within the context of bringing overall public expenditure back in line with what we can afford. All areas of Government spending, including gaelscoileanna, will have to manage on a reduced level of resources. The challenge will be to ensure that the resources provided are used to maximum effect to achieve the best possible outcome for pupils.

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