Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)

The Government has to start recognising rights in regard to the Irish language. The fact that two new Irish schools will open in September reveals the contrast between the Government's actions and the level of demand that exists. Other European countries have managed to meet this target. In Wales, 23% of children attend all-Welsh schools, up from 18% ten years ago. In the 1980s only 5% of children in the Basque country attended all-Basque schools but the figure has since increased to 65%.

A considerable amount of debate takes place in the Irish language media on the development of the Gaeltacht and Irish in the Gaeltacht but as many of those in the commentariat or the Government do not have Irish, that debate remains invisible to them. In my local gaelscoil in Navan children are not guaranteed a place even if they are enrolled at birth because it has a waiting list of approximately 70 children. When I asked the Department to provide a second class, it issued a firm refusal.

Unless the Government changes direction and gives priority to the Irish language, it will become an impediment to its development. It is not the case that the Government is forcing Irish education on parents and kids. According to this research, it is suppressing demand for the Irish language. That is a sad indictment of a Government that could be creating significant opportunities for growth and development of the sector.

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