Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 16:

In page 24, between lines 25 and 26, to insert the following:"(h) provide that the admission policy of a second level school that provides education through the medium of Irish may provide for the inclusion of students that have attended a primary school that provides education through the medium of Irish,".

The idea behind this quite self-explanatory amendment is that the Irish language should be protected, enhanced and supported. In Sinn Féin's view, it makes perfect sense for second-level schools to be able to give priority to pupils who have used Irish as they have come through national school level. The simple reason for this is that if they have to attend an English-medium second-level school, it is quite possible that they will not have the support they need and their Irish-language skills will slip back as a consequence. We all have to be mindful of the need to support the Irish language. To be honest, I do not see why this simple and practical amendment should not enjoy the support of everybody in the Chamber. It does not damage the Bill in any sense. It enhances support for the Irish language. My colleague will speak on amendment No. 18, which is supported by Sinn Féin on the basis that it comes from the same broad support for our national language.