Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)

I look forward to the publication of the strategy and I appreciate the work the Minister is doing. The reality currently is that every child who leaves a Gaelscoil to go to a Gaelcholáiste does not have that choice. There are not enough Gaelcholáistí to accommodate the population coming out of Gaelscoileanna. Children who have been through the primary process as Gaeilge do not have the option to continue their education to university level as Gaeilge. Is the Minister satisfied that the resources are available? We hear that the teachers are not there, but that is something that can be addressed. Will the Minister put in place real incentives, whether that is grants for university education through Irish or tax incentives for teachers teaching trí mheán na Gaeilge or in Gaelcholáistí or Gaelscoileanna for that matter?

Can we please drive this so that, at the very minimum, every child who is graduating from a Gaelscoil into secondary school has the opportunity and chance to go to a Gaelcholáiste within a reasonably proximate area so they can continue that Gaeloideachas all the way through to university.

See this speech in context