Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim mo bhuíochas leis an Seanadóir fá choinne an cheist tábhachtach seo. Bhí mé rud beag mall fosta agus tá brón orm fá dtaobh de sin. Gabhaim m'aitheantas fosta don dream i gCorca Dhuibhne agus le Muintearas Teoranta fá choinne a n-iarrachtaí agus a tiomantas don scéim seo thar na blianta.

Scéim na gcúntóirí teanga was established was established by the Department in 1999 as an additional initiative to help further strengthen Irish as a spoken language among school going children in Gacltacht areas. Under the scheme, cúntóirí teanga or language assistants, who are fluent Irish speakers, provide support to Gaeltacht schools in order to further support language acquisition and enrichment opportunities for school age children within the school setting.

Gabhaim m'aitheantas leis na daoine a bhíonn ag obair in achan scoil fá choinne a ngealltanas don teanga fosta. I would like to acknowledge the commitment and dedication to the language shown by all of the people who are working on these schemes. The focus of the scheme is on activities that contribute primarily to the enrichment and acquisition of language opportunities including storytelling, rhymes, small plays, games and so forth rather than learning opportunities in the context of the curriculum. Tá na daoine ag obair ar rudaí go neamhfhoirmiúil, that is, the informal aspects of learning. This practical support greatly assists participant schools in their efforts to create such learning opportunities and helps to underpin the Irish language as the foremost community and family language in Gaeltacht areas. Caithfear a rá go bhfuil na daoine ag úsáid na teanga achan lá sa scoil i mbealaí neamhfhoirmiúil. For those who use it every day in an informal setting, it is of great benefit to their learning experience and their joy and love for the language. The overall measure is being implemented in support of the implementation of the 20-year strategy for the Irish language as it relates to the Gaeltacht.

In order to qualify for recognition under scéim na gcúntóirí teanga, which is administered on behalf of my Department by Muintearas Teoranta and Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne Teoranta, schools must be situated in a Gaeltacht area and operate through the medium of Irish. The scheme is currently operating in 107 Gaeltacht schools and 93 language assistants are engaged in delivering the scheme.

Funding of €784,442 has been approved for 2017-18. Bhí an uimhir chéanna i gceist fá choinne 2016-17. From this allocation, tá €548,613 ceadaithe do Mhuintearas Teoranta, atá ag obair sna Gaeltachtaí i nDún na nGall, Maigh Eo, Gaillimh, agus i Ráth Chairn agus Baile Ghib i gContae na Mí agus tá €232,629 ceadaithe d'Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne, atá ag obair i gCiarraí, Corcaigh agus Port Láirge.

Bunaíodh Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne Teoranta in 1980 agus tá sé i mbun an teanga a spreagadh go dtí seo. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne was established in 1980 and it has been promoting the language to this present day. Oidhreacht Chorca Dhuibhne Teoranta is a subsidiary of Comharchumann Forbartha Chorca Dhuibhne that operates under the umbrella of Údarás na Gaeltachta. The organisation is operating from lár-ionad forbartha Bhaile an Fheirtéaraigh for which the Department approved grant funding of €1.7 million in 2013. Tá Muintearas Teoranta ag obair sa phobal ag cur traenáil ar fáil. Is fochomhlacht é de chuid Údarás na Gaeltachta. It works as a subsidiary of Údarás na Gaeltachta. The organisation's headquarters is in Tir an Fhia, Leitir Móir, Contae na Gaillimhe; and it has sub-offices in the Donegal, Mayo and Kerry Gaeltacht areas. Education is provided to all age groups in the community, from pre-school to adult lifelong learning. Muintearas Teoranta is working in all aspects of education, training and services for the Gaeltacht community. Gabhaim m'aitheantas arís chuig Muintearas Teoranta agus an dream atá lonnaithe i gCorca Dhuibhne dá tiomantas thar na blianta, that is, their commitment down through the years to the scheme. Tá Muintearas Teoranta ag obair ar rudaí éagsúla, go háirithe forbairt an linbh, oideachas bunscoile agus an clár óige. Tá an clár óige thar a bheith tábhachtach maidir leis na príomhspriocanna ar chlár Muintearas Teoranta. In recent years, these organisations have focused on opportunities offered by communicative modern technology for remote communities. As matters stand, the demand from Gaeltacht schools to participate in the language assistants scheme is greater than the Department’s capacity to meet the demand within the relevant subhead which funds the scheme. Notwithstanding this challenge, I should point out that in order to further strengthen the scheme in the context of the implementation of the language planning process as set out under the Gaeltacht Act 2012 agus faoin Pholasaí don Oideachas Gaeltachta 2017-2022, which is being spearheaded by the Department of Education and Skills, my Department intends to undertake a review of the scheme. Among the issues to be addressed as part of this review will be the qualifying criteria that should apply in the case of schools that are participating in the scheme or that wish to participate in the scheme sa todhchaí. This will address the issue raised by the Senator here today.

The issue of how best to advance the recommendations emerging from the review will be carefully considered in due course in the context of how best to ensure effective support of both the language planning process and the Polasaí don Oideachas Gaeltachta within na hacmhainní atá ar fáil, that is, the available resources. Without prejudice to the outcome of the review, consideration will also need to be given as to how best to address the matter of schools which have, for whatever reason, not yet opted to participate in the scheme being rolled at Gaeltacht schools level by the Department of Education and Skills le tacaíocht a thabairt don pholasaí.