Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)

Gealladh sa Chéad Dáil in 1919 san fhorógra daonlathach gur "cóir agus gleus is gádh dhóibh chun teagaisc agus taithighe ceart do thabhairt dóibh i gcóir na hoibre a bheidh le deunamh aca mar chomhaltaí den tSaorstát Gaedhealach". An gheallúint a bhí tugtha ná go mbeadh teagasc agus cur chuige ceart maidir leis an oideachas agus traenáil ar fáil do chuile saoránach. Sinn Féin's vision is for those words to be treated like they matter. The reality, though, is that they do not seem to matter and the Government even breaks its own laws in relation to children in this State.

Frankly, it is insulting that we have these type of statements without legislation. We need legislation to give effect to the demands, the desire and the right of students and children to have a proper education. In my own area, in Dublin South-Central, St. Ultan's Primary School is way above some of the other schools in the area and needs to be set as an example, but that is the yardstick. Every other school should be a St. Ultan's. There are no ifs or buts about it. When you look at the fact that the Department had to be brought kicking and screaming to develop Our Lady of Hope School and Scoil Eoin across the road, which is struggling, and given that nearly every other school in the constituency lacks resources, you can see why we need resources. When any child has an additional need, there should be additional resources. It should be a given. We should not have a system which facilitates students not taking Irish in secondary school. That is an absolute scandal that is growing, day in and day out.

We should have already a Gaelscoil in Dublin 10. We should have a Gaelscoil in Dublin 12, and yet there is prevarication or no engagement with the Department. Hopefully, when the submission is made for the new site in Ballyfermot, the Minister will embrace it. Hopefully, we will see shortly a Gaelscoil in Dublin 10.

In relation to the secondary school where there is a primary school in Dublin 2, 4, 6 and 8, the demand is that the Minister will meet and engage with that community as quickly as possible to ensure that the school, when it opens next year, has all the facilities and the wherewithal to become a proper Gaelcholáiste.

There is a lot more that needs to be done. I welcome the debate but it is no good unless there is action and legislation to give effect to that.

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