Joe O'Toole (Independent)

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit go dtí an Tigh. Is é atá idir lámha againn an tábhacht a bhaineann le cúlra culturtha an linbh a chur san áireamh maraon leis na deacrachtaí a bheadh aige nó aici ó thaobh cursaí teanga de. In addressing the educational plan it is crucially important that there be a reference to and an understanding of the child's cultural background.

I was trying to make this point last night. The Acting Chairman may have felt I was overly longwinded but I needed to put my remarks in context. As a teacher — and I know Senator Fitzgerald did the same — we were inclined to use Ladybird books because they were very useful for learning techniques. Nonetheless, the Department of Education had its face absolutely set against using them because they were culturally incorrect. Peter and Jane did not fit the backgrounds of the children of Dublin. Bheadh sé sin thar a bheith tábhachtach ó thaobh cúrsaí Gaoluinne de. Ní bheadh aon ghaol ag leanaí Gaeltachta leis na Peters and Janes of Great Britain. It is hugely important that we keep that in mind. Similarly, there were perfectly good stay safe programmes in use in Britain and we looked at them very carefully. The British programmes followed the required steps but they did not come out of the children's cultural background. The same thing happened in dealing with remediation. Is cuimhin liom, go mórmhór in áiteanna Gaeltachta in gCiarraí, i gCondae na Gaillimhe agus i gCondae Mhuigheo, go raibh deacrachtaí ag na múinteoirí ó thaobh na gceisteanna bhí á gcur ar na leanaí toisc nach rabhadar préamhaithe ina gcultúr féin. I heard a recent example of this difficulty from a psychologist who was working in Irish and who had moved briefly from Gaoth Dobhair to Gaeltacht Chiarraí. Bhí an siceolaí seo ag cur teist ar leanbh agus dúirt sí leis, "Druid an doras". The child did not know what she was saying because he used, "Dún an doras". This is a very simple example which everyone would understand. Idioms, cadences, inflexions and the way we speak in different parts of the country, even in English, can be important. When one includes daoine ins na Gaeltachtaí it is even more important. In looking at a child's potential, how we can best find it and give the child support we must take these factors into consideration.

I must say a word in praise of the eagrais Ghaol-uinne. The Minister of State is aware that I have spent much of my life fighting with the eagrais Gaoluinne because, although I agree with their objectives, I do not always agree with the approach they have taken. I have discussed these amendments with Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge, in particular, and I commend the breadth of vision and progressive nature of its response on this issue. None of the amendments under discussion is focused on Gaoluinn. I am focusing on Gaoluinn in my remarks but these measures will be equally important to children coming from other cultures in a multicultural Ireland. This will be particularly so in the Minister of State's own constituency. In Ennis recently, I met Sister Betty from the primary school which probably has the biggest proportion of foreign nationals of any school in Ireland. It is years since I was in the school but I know it is superbly run. I asked her about this issue. She made the case for maintaining a reference to the children's background. Tá sé tábhachtach go gcuirfear seo san áireamh i bpleananna agus i bpolasaithe a chuirfear le chéile ar son na leanaí seo.

Roinnt blianta ó shin nuair a bhí athbhreithniú á dhéanamh ar remediation, cuireadh an cheist, "Cad mar gheall ar remediation ins na Gaeltachtaí?" Chuir Muintearas, eagras atá lonnaithe i Leitir Mór, feachtas ar bun chun scrúdú agus iniúchadh a dhéanamh ar remediation agus foilsíodh tuarascáil ar an méid a fuarthas amach. Bhí an Roinn an-tógtha leis and supported it very much. The report examined the psychological and remediation service, taking into consideration the child's background. The amendments follow the thinking in that report. They make reasonable points and should be accepted.

I accept that the chances of changing the Bill are slim but I put the proposals on the record in an attempt to address the issue.