Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I sometimes wonder what is the first language. My children went to one of these schools in the 1980s and the early 1990s. Each time one was established, the parents were the drivers and it was fought all the way. The Aonad is seen as a rowing back or a watering down. It is not seen as an acceptable model. Hundreds of parents have united in terms of what they want and they do not want an Aonad. Again, they are being asked to prove there is a demand. There are seven sixth classes coming out of the primary schools. The estimate is that 60% of those will want to go on to an all-Irish model, which is not available. There will not be one place available to them from next year unless there is a change in the way the Department deals with this.

The building section must also do something in regard to the application for the third stream in Kilcock. Almost 100 pupils are being turned down in that school alone. It has a wider catchment area, which takes in Clane.

What has the Department been counting? Has it not been counting the children in those schools? It does not seem it has been counting the right thing at all. The Minister of State referred to the overall enrolments. It seems it is not about choice or continuing a very successful model in terms of teaching through the medium of Irish.

See this speech in context