Joe O'Toole (Independent)

The situation in the Marino Institute of Education was raised on a number of occasions during the past year. The House should be aware of the fact that recently a supposedly independent report was commissioned and paid for by the trustees and board of the institute, which amazingly found them to have acted absolutely correctly all the way through, which surprised all of us. The reality is that the culture of secrecy continues in the institute. This report, which is supposed to vindicate the board, rubbish the staff and cast aspersions on the Department of Education and Science is not to be made available to anybody, including the Minister for Education and Science. That is completely unacceptable. Irrespective of views on this matter and the rights and wrongs involved, the so-called independent report should at least be published. If it is independent why should it not be made available?

I do not want to delay the House but I would like a debate on this matter. I will hook the case for my request for same on this point. The same group who said that there was no systemic bullying in the institution are the group who settled for a figure approaching or more than €500,000 on all counts on charges of 50 bullying cases. Those two scenarios cannot co-exist. Having settled the case for 50 allegations of bullying and then saying there was no bullying is not acceptable. I do not want to go into any more detail on this matter but a debate is needed.

In 1999 the then Minister for Education, Deputy Martin, mhol sé go gcuirfí ionad oideachais Gaeilge ar bun i mBaile an Bhuirne i gCondae Corcaigh. The idea is that this institution would provide for Irish language schools, Gaeltacht schools and schools which try to teach certain languages, certain aspects of their curriculum, through Irish to have available to them various different texts, which would be developed and provided there, namely, a translation service. It is one of those great ideas with extraordinary syngeries, one of the best ideas ever about the Irish language. Everything that would come out of this would be used immediately. Teachers are crying out for it. We have schools in Ireland that are teaching Latin trí Ghaeilge from English language textbooks. That is happening all the time. Four Ministers have dealt with this matter but nothing has happened and I am deeply and utterly suspicious nothing will happen.

This matter has been dealt with by four successive Ministers, former Ministers for Education, Deputies Martin, Woods and Noel Dempsey and the current Minister, Deputy Hanafin. I cannot see any objection to it. One need only consider the moneys being wasted on large institutions such as the National Roads Authority or on Government strategy documents which have to be translated into Irish. Hard copies of those documents are being provided, while teachers and schools not only in the Gaeltachtaí or gaelscoileanna but in many schools throughout the country, which might not want to be completely all-Irish schools but want to teach certain subjects through Gaeilge. They would do be able to do so if the apparatus and the text were available trí Ghaeilge.

This is a great idea but, like every other great idea that was ever formed about Irish, if acting on it does not have some impact on the east coast, nobody wants to hear or do anything about it. This would give life to west Cork in that area and new life to the old college in Baile Bhuirne, and it would also provide something which is useful, sensible and progressive. I ask the Leader to arrange a debate on this issue in order that we can discuss it with the Minister for Education and Science.