Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Tá ról lárnach ag scoileanna lán-Ghaeilge i gcur chun cinn na teanga dóibh siúd nach bhfuil Gaeilge labhairt acu sa bhaile agus, ansin, i gceantair Ghaeltachta dóibh siúd a bhfuil an Ghaeilge á labhairt acu sa bhaile. Tugann sé deis do scoláirí a gcuid oideachais a fháil ina dteanga dhúchais.

Tá tábhacht ag baint leis seo i gcomhair chaomhnú na teanga agus tá sé tábhachtach go bhfaigheadh na scoileanna seo tacaíocht ón Roinn Oideachais agus ón Aire Oideachais chun é seo a dhéanamh. Ní fhaigheann scoileanna education and training board, ETB, an chabhair chéanna is a fhaigheann scoileanna deonacha agus ní thuigim cén fáth sin. Tá liúntas ann. Deontas dátheangach a thugtar air a fhaigheann na scoileanna deonacha agus nach bhfaigheann na scoileanna ETB. €110.50 in aghaidh an scoláire atá i gceist leis an liúntas seo agus ní dhéanann sé ciall ar bith dom an fáth nach bhfaigheann na scoileanna ETB an chabhair chéanna, cé gur scoileanna Gaeltachta scoileanna ETB den chuid is mó agus scoileanna a bhfuil tacaíocht sa bhreis ag teastáil uathu, má táimid dáiríre faoi chaomhnú na Gaeilge. Tuigim gur scoileanna DEIS iad na scoileanna Gaeltachta den chuid is mó, agus mar sin tá siad aitheanta mar scoileanna atá faoi mhíbhuntáiste, dár leis an Aire Oideachais í féin agus dár le Roinn an Aire Stáit.

Tá a fhios agam freisin gur scoileanna iolsainchreidmheacha na scoileanna ETB agus gur scoileanna Caitliceacha iad na scoileanna deonacha. Ní thuigim an fáth nach bhfuil na scoileanna seo ag fáil an chabhair chéanna is atá scoileanna atá ag múineadh trí mheán na Gaeilge ach gur scoileanna deonacha iad.

Ní rud nua é seo. Tá sé seo ag tarlú le 30 bliain anuas agus tá sé thar am go ndéanfaí rud éigin faoi. Ní thuigim an fáth go bhfuil scoileanna Gaeltachta á gcur in áit na leathphingine.

I am a great believer in the importance of Irish-medium education. For loads of people like me, who did not have the opportunity to learn Irish at home, it is where we learned our language and so many other people have the same experience with Irish-medium education. It also has a very important role for those people who do speak Irish at home, who may live in the Gaeltacht or come from Irish-speaking households, because it gives them the opportunity to be educated through their native language. For the past 30 years, however, there has, unfortunately, been a difference between the way ETB Irish-medium secondary schools and voluntary schools are being treated. The difference relates to the bilingual grant of €110.50 per pupil, which goes to voluntary schools and not to ETB schools, despite most Gaeltacht schools being ETB schools.

As the Minister of State will know, to preserve the language, it is vital we support Gaeltacht schools. Moreover, the Department has acknowledged these schools need more assistance, because a lot of them are in DEIS areas. As a result, they are clearly more disadvantaged, and as well as that, ETB schools are multi-denominational, whereas a lot of voluntary schools are Catholic run. I do not understand why Gaeltacht schools in this case are being left in the ha'penny place. This has been ongoing for 30 years and it is quite an easy and straightforward change the Government, the Minister of State and the Department can make.

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