Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin North Central, Labour)

Tá an Teachta Mathews ag iarraidh a chuid Gaeilge a thriail agus a chuid Gearmáinise a thriail chomh maith, mar a dúirt sé níos túisce.

Maidir leis an méid a bhí le rá ag an Teachta Ó Snodaigh, aontaím leis ó thaobh dhíospóireacht na Gaeilge de. Uaireanta an t-aon am go úsáidtear an Ghaeilge sa Teach seo ná nuair atáimid ag labhairt faoin Ghaeilge. Cuireann sin as do dhaoine, ba chóir bheith in ann labhairt faoi chúrsaí eacnamaíochta na tíre, faoi chúrsaí turasóireachta agus spóirt trí Ghaeilge, ní amháin faoi chúrsaí Gaeilge.

Ní ghlacaim leis an méid a dúirt sé, áfach, faoi fanatical elements. Tá fanatical elements i gceist nuair atáimid ag caint faoin Ghaeilge agus cuireann sin as do dhaoine nach féidir tuairim faoi leith a bheith ag duine faoin Ghaeilge toisc chomh láidir is atá na tuairimí ag daoine áirithe faoi chúrsaí Gaeilge.

Tá áthas an domhain an seans a fháil labhairt ar thodhchaí na Gaeilge agus ar bheartas an Rialtais maidir le dul chun cinn na Gaeilge. Beidh mé ag labhairt i mBéarla chomh maith ar ball beag.

Glacaim go bhfuil gach duine sa Teach ar aon tuairim faoi dhul chun cinn na Gaeilge. Táimid ar aon intinn gurbh fhearr linn ar fad go mbeadh i bhfad níos mó daoine in ann í a labhairt agus sásta í a labhairt. Tá daoine in ann Gaeilge a labhairt nach bhfuil sásta sin a dhéanamh agus tá daoine eile ann nach bhfuil in ann í a labhairt ar chor ar bith. Cé nár aontaigh mé le seasamh pháirtí Fhine Gael roimh an olltoghchán maidir le stádas éigeantach na Gaeilge mar ábhar meánscoile, b'fhiú an díospóireacht a bhí againn. Den chéad uair le blianta fada anuas, bhí stádas na Gaeilge ina cheist ar na doirse agus sinn i mbun toghchánaíochta.

Molaim na gealltanais ó thaobh na Gaeilge mar a leagtar amach sa chlár Rialtais, go bhfuil sé mar aidhm againn an méid daltaí a dhéanann Gaeilge san ardteistiméireacht mar ábhar onórach a mhéadú agus go bhfuil sé mar aidhm 50% de na marcanna san ardteistiméireacht a thabhairt don bhéaltriail. Níl ciall ar bith ann, áfach, béim chomh mór sin a chur ar an mbéaltriail san ardteistiméireacht gan bhéaltriail ar bith a bheith ann sa teastas sóisearch. Tá 14 bliain ann go dtí go gcaithfidh dalta Gaeilge a labhairt go foirmeálta os comhair cigire.

Cé go bhfuil céim agam sa Ghaeilge, agus cé go labhraím Gaeilge gach lá, chaith mé níos mó na deich mbliana i scoil faoi mhíbhuntaiste i lár chathair Bhaile Átha Cliath, agus tá sé go ríshoiléir dom nach bhfuil ar bpolasaí ó thaobh múineadh na Gaeilge ag feidhmiú sna scoileanna. Tá drochmheas ag cuid mhaith daltaí, agus tuismitheoirí fiú, maidir le cúrsaí Gaeilge. Ní amháin sin, ach i gcásanna áirithe, níl sa Ghaeilge ach constaic dóibh siúd atá ag iarraidh áit a bhaint in aon cheann de na coláistí múinteoireachta. Tá an baol ann anois, cé go nglacaim leis an méid a dúirt an Teachta Dessie Ellis, nach bhfuil i gceist leis an Ghaeilge ach caitheamh aimsire don mheán-aicme i gceantair ina bhfuil Gaelscoileanna lonnaithe agus ina bhfuil dóthain airgid ann chun daltaí a chur chun na Gaeltachta le linn an tsamhraidh nó fiú ranganna breise a chur ar fáil dá bpáistí. An important issue regarding the future of the Irish language is that it could be perceived to be the pursuit of the middle classes. I refer to those who have resources available to send their children to the Gaeltacht in the summer or to purchase grinds. I refer to those who live in areas that have gaelscoileanna, which unfortunately in some cases have managed to attract parents who, to be blunt, are suffering from a case of white fright and are using the Irish language as a means of having their children in a monocultural setting in school. This issue has arisen in certain parts of this city and country.

Having taught in an area of disadvantage for the past 11 years, I have come across many wonderful children who would make wonderful teachers. However, the Irish language is becoming a barrier to them becoming teachers because of the insistence of the Department of Education and Skills or, more importantly of the third level institutions, that is, the teacher training colleges, that one must have an honour in Irish in the leaving certificate examination to become a primary school teacher. There is no reason to exclude any student who shows ability or creativity or who wishes to become a primary teacher, having acquired the requisite points and having been identified as someone who would be an excellent teacher at either primary or secondary level but the former in particular. There is no reason we cannot find a mechanism by which such people could enter into third level teaching colleges and acquire their Irish language qualification whilst there. I conclude by making a point about which I feel strongly, namely, that if the Irish language is being used as a mechanism to prevent those from certain backgrounds to advance their education, become teachers or to change the way in which education is delivered in schools, it then is becoming destructive in the education system.

Tá an cheist seo tábhachtach domsa agus do roinnt daoine eile sa Teach, ach tá an pointe deireannach rí-thábhachtach chomh maith.

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