Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)

Up to now, Gaeltacht schools had a preferential pupil-teacher ratio in recognition of the challenges of teaching through the medium of Irish. There was also a recognition of the lack of teaching resources available and the decline of the language. This is why the strategy was set up. We have cut back the preferential pupil-teacher ratios. On the one hand we are pushing forward a strategy but on the other hand we appear to be pulling the rug from under it. The Minister's Department is taking the lead with the strategy and this is one of the concerns of the language activists.

See this speech in context