Seanad debates

Wednesday, 29 November 2017

Commencement Matters

Scéim na gCúntóirí Teanga

10:30 am

Photo of Joe McHughJoe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am very happy to do that. The Senator might just seol a ríomphost. He might send on a wee email with the details of the specific school and I will certainly follow up on it. While I would like to see for all Gaeltacht primary schools that it would not be based on a selective process, certain schools are selected due to the financial resources that are available. I have visited schools and seen the scheme working. Muintearas Teoranta covers the Donegal Gaeltacht areas. Consider the resources that are on our doorsteps. These are people who are not teachers. They do not need qualifications or PhDs. However, they have the language and are sharing it with primary schoolchildren in an informal setting, and this is the way to go.

I would like every school in the Gaeltacht to be covered by the scheme. I would also like every school in the country to be covered by it. Within the review, there will be a linkage with the Department of Education and Skills. It will take significant resources to do and we cannot bite it all off in one go. As the Senator says, given Irish is alive and well in Erris and other areas outside the Gaeltacht, we need to approach it in this way. This is a common-sense way of keeping the language alive and it is absolutely wonderful to see schools embracing the scheme. I have more of an insight into the work of Muintearas Teoranta because it is based in County Donegal but I want to acknowledge the two organisations for their efforts. They will be a fundamental part of the review. On the issue raised by the Senator, we are trying to cover every school eventually but it is subject to resources.

Mar fhocal scoir, gabhaim m'atheantas arís leis na daoine atá ag obair agus atá páirteach sa scéim seo agus leis na cúntóirí teanga. Tá siad ag coiméad an teanga beo agus in áit níos fearr. Tá mé dóchasach go mbeidh an athbhreithniú ag dul ar aghaidh sa bhliain úr. B'fhéidir go mbeidh smaoineamh ann achan scoil a bheith clúdaithe faoin scéim seo agus go mbeidh an scéim seo ina scéim phíolótach fá choinne an tír agus fá choinne scoileanna atá taobh amuigh den Ghaeltacht.

Tá tuismitheoirí ag strácáil. Parents are struggling. The children come home from school and not everyone has Irish and is able to speak the language but there is no shortage of love and demand from people who want their children to do it. We therefore must consider every possible opportunity to encourage them. A nice Ulster word we use for encouragement is "uchtach". I learned it from a Connemara man. We have to provide the resources so that we can be ag spreagadh na daoine and motivating and encouraging them. This scheme works. I have seen it working. Tá an t-éileamh ann. The demand is there and there needs to be an obligation to provide for the school the Senator mentioned in a fair way. I hope the review will point to the benefits of what is happening, given where we have come from and what it has done and how the language can be grown just by using it daily.

We all have had our different experiences learning Irish. We all have our different stories. Perhaps we concentrated too much on writing or reading it rather than vocabulary and opportunities to speak the language. I acknowledge those in this House who are making an effort in this regard. Every single usher, with their varying degrees of Irish, is using it. Tá siad ag déanamh iarrachta. Tá na daoine uilig timpeall na tíre ag déanamh a seacht ndíchill fosta. Everyone is doing their level best to learn the language by even using just a couple of words.

Now this is my final word, that is, mo fhocal scoir. Má tá cúpla focal nó líofacht agat sa Ghaeilge, úsáid an teanga. Ná bí buartha. Do not be nervous. Ná bíodh eagla oraibh fosta. Do not be afraid of making mistakes - ag déanamh botún. I encourage those in the Seanad to use it. It happens to a great degree. Even those with no Irish who cannot string two words together can read it. Further, they can use the services available to this House. We have a translation service across the road in Kildare House. They are a very good team and they are listening to us here today. They are ready to translate. They are ready to do the business. The Senator opened his contribution this morning with a few lines as Gaeilge and should be commended on it. Three years ago, I was unable to string two words together. Knowing the value the language can give to us as people, we can grow with the language. We have a responsibility. Tá an dualgas orainn uilig. We have a responsibility don chéad ghlúin eile - for the next generation - to hold it. Our job as legislators is to work on this scheme. This scheme worked and it will work in the future. Tá mé dóchasach. Beidh an dearcadh dearfa fosta. Tá brón orm. I went on a wee bit there. I got carried away. I am sorry about that.

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