John Gerard Hanafin (Fianna Fail)

Deirim "Dúrlas Éile", in ionad "Dúrlas", agus "Aonach Urmhumhan" in ionad "Aonach". Ní maith liom an chaoi ina bhfuil gach éinne ag gearradh na logainmneacha siar. Ba chóir an téarma iomlán a úsáid. Má táimid chun a bheith cinnte go dtuigimid agus go gcreidimid sa Ghaeilge, níor cheart dúinn mar sochaí agus go háirithe mar cheannairí na tíre seo agus mar pholaiteoirí aon pholasaí a chur i bhfeidhm a loitfidh nó a maróidh an Ghaeilge. Ag an am céanna, aithním go bhfuil dúshlán láidir os ár gcomhair. Tá dúshlán láidir os comhair múinteoirí, córas oideachais agus sochaí na tíre seo go ginearálta. It rests on the Government and on all leaders to show leadership in respect of the Irish language. I am always the first to say that the school cannot solve every problem in society, but for the most part the school is the first and only place where children learn Irish. Our schools, particularly our primary schools, have a particular obligation to ensure that the teaching of the language is exciting and interesting for our children.

Labhraímid i gcónaí faoi na gaelscoileanna. We say how exciting it is that there is now a gaelscoil in every county, which is a very positive development. Bhí tráth ann nuair ba ghaelscoil í gach scoil — the Irish language was a central part of every school. The living instructions and orders in playgrounds and during activities were given through Irish. Ordinary schools were gaelscoileanna as much as the specific gaelscoileanna are now, but that has been lost from our schools. Faraor, the teaching of Irish is being confined to 40 minutes per day. If we can extend it throughout our schools as a living language, our children will realise that it is a teanga bheo. Tá sé deacair é sin a dhéanamh nuair nach bhfuil muintir na tíre seo á labhairt, ní amháin mar chéad theanga ach mar theaga ar bith. It is very difficult for a school to do it on its own. We face a particular challenge in that regard. That is why the measures which have been taken throughout our communities and in society generally are so important.

Chuala mé Seanadóirí ag caint mar gheall ar an tacaíocht breise atá tugtha do TG4, which is a hugely popular television station that makes programmes in an imaginative manner. I do not just refer to the fact that TG4 broadcasts football matches and old western films. Tá mé ag caint mar gheall ar líon na ndaoine a bhíonn ag féachaint ar "Mo Laethanta Saoire", mar shampla, clár a rinne mé féin. That programme brings people back to the places where they went on their holidays as children, which is something to which the whole country can relate. It took TG4 to come up with and pursue such a simple idea. Tá daoine óga na tíre seo ag féachaint ar dhaoine ar nós Hector Ó hEochagáin agus Síle Seoige. Caithfidh mé a adhmháil that they are making the Irish language i bhfad níos gnéasaí ná mar a bhí. Taitníonn na daoine úd le daoine óga. Long live Hector Ó hEochagáin and Síle Seoige because they are promoting Irish in modern Ireland in a modern and living context.

The official recognition of the Irish language at EU level was a major achievement for Ireland and for the language, but what good will it do if we do not support the language at home? We will face major challenges in providing interpreters and translators on foot of that decision. Níl aon mhaith ann a bheith ag caint faoi sin muna bhfuil an Ghaeilge ag daoine go láidir nuair a fhágann siad an scoil. It all comes back to the extent to which we can strengthen the Irish language in our schools and support it in society, through the Official Languages Act 2003 and, more particularly, by increasing an meas a bhíonn ag daoine don teanga. The reactions of students to the language are dictated not only by what happens in schools but also by what happens in society generally. That is why all those wider issues are very important.

Senator Maurice Hayes said he does not have too much regard for what people say in response to questions asked in the daonáireamh. I presume that people adopted the same attitude in the last census, when answering the question about the amount of Irish they use, as they did when answering the same question in the previous census. The number of people who classified themselves as Irish speakers increased by 140,000 at the last census. It will be interesting to see cad a bheidh daoine á rá mar gheall ar an Ghaeilge in this year's census. Is dóigh liom go bhfuil meath ag teacht ar an nGaeltacht agus go bhfuil borradh agus fás ag teacht ar líon na ndaoine atá ag labhairt na Ghaeilge in áiteanna eile. I am quite satisfied that there is more Irish in my constituency of the former borough of Kingstown than in a great many Gaeltacht areas around the country.

With Gaelscoileanna, Coláiste Eoin, Coláiste Íosagáin, Scoil Lorcáin, Gaelscoil Ballybrack, lár-ionad Comhaltas CeolteóiríÉireann, daoine ag labhairt Gaeilge agus ag déanamh ceol, agus spiorad Gaelach timpeall na h-áite. It is to be found in a place where one would not expect, in which I suspect it is a good deal stronger than in traditional areas. Instead of getting depressed about the decline of the Gaeltacht, we should try to determine how strong Irish is in other areas. The growth of the Gaelscoileanna is adding to that, mar tá na tuismitheoirí ag dul amach agus ag foghlaim Gaeilge, freisin, mar tá siad ag iarraidh cabhrú lena bpáistí féin. That is encouraging a whole new generation of people to return to Irish classes to learn.

I accept, however, it is a disgrace that after learning Irish for 13 or 14 years, children leave school not being able to speak it. Is iar-mbúinteoir Gaeilge mé féin. I spent 17 years teaching Irish up to honours leaving certificate level. Even my best students cannot speak Irish today, largely because they have not the opportunity in society. I spent much of the time doing the spoken language, mar creidim go láidir ins an teanga — leis na díospóireachtaí, drámaíocht agus gach rud a bhaineann leis. Rinne mé m'iarracht agus mo chuid chun Gaeilge thaitneamhach a mhúneadh. Fortunately, the curriculum has changed. The new curriculum is very exciting, particular at primary level. Feicim an dul chun cinn atáá dhéanamh ins na scoileanna nuair a bhím ag dul timpeall. In the last year or so I have visited more than 200 schools in every country in Ireland and I can see the dul chun cinn atáá dhéanamh leis an gcuraclam nua. That places much more emphasis on the spoken language. It is following through to some degree to the junior certificate, with a new syllabus as regards literature, etc.

However, I am convinced of the need for greater emphasis in the exams structure on oral Irish, because it is only when more marks are given for the scrúdú béal ag an ard-teist, that teachers will change their methods of teaching and students their attitude to the language. I have asked the NCCA as a matter of priority to revert to me with proposals in this regard. I appreciate it is looking at the whole senior cycle, but for me this is an absolute priority. As Aire Oideachais agus Eolaíochta, I would love to be in a position to be able to progress the situation. I should love to see 50% of the marks in leaving certificate Irish being allocated to oral Irish. Ní shílim go mbeidh na deacrachtaí síos má dhéantar sin, mar ní fhéadfá díreach é sin a thosnú gan scrúdnithe a chur ar siúl ag ranganna nó blianta eile. However, it is the single most positive thing that may be done to improve the spoken language.

The new syllabus, as has been recognised, is much more exciting. There are lovely novels now, for example Dúnmharú ar an Dart or Murder on the Dart, a great lively book very suitable for using with junior certificate students. Film is being used in the curriculum. All of this has already been incorporated, so we are well on the way towards making those changes and recognising the importance of the language. That is why I am genuinely concerned at the policy of Fine Gael, as outlined in this motion and by the party leader, of removing compulsory Irish in the leaving certificate.

In a curriculum as broad as ours, students do seven subjects for the leaving certificate and may even be taking eight. There is room for Irish, for the spoken language, literature and for learning. It is completely different for A level students, who may be doing two or even three subjects. The UK is restricting at a much earlier age. They have to, because of the nature of their systems. It is interesting that they are trying to broaden the system now. However, because of the nature of the system, they have to confine matters and they have to choose. We are offering seven subjects. Surely there is room there for Irish. If the compulsory Irish is removed, students will not do it for the leaving certificate or want to do it for the junior certificate and it will be lost, at primary school level. I am as convinced of that as of anything. I am satisfied that there is no tally between what Fine Gael is saying and what is its policy. I do not believe that Deputy Kenny wants to see the end of the Irish language, nor do I believe that Senator Ulick Burke or anybody else wants to see it.