Barry Ward (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I join you, a Chathaoirligh, in the remarks you made about Martin Murray. I was talking to him just before coming into the Chamber and he said absolutely nothing about the retirement. I certainly join you and wishing him well. I know all of our colleagues in the Fine Gael group would like to do so as well.

Gaeloideachas supports education in Ireland through the Irish language. Today I joined a group of students from schools in the south Dublin area looking for a Gaelscoil in Dublin 2, 4, 6 or 8. They have been involved in this campaign for some considerable time. They are not alone. There is a huge appetite for education through the medium of Irish. It is an appetite that is not being met at the moment and I do not know the reason for it. I ask the Leader to consider a debate on this issue. They are not alone. There was a group outside today and they were very articulate in their desire for a Gaelscoil in Dublin 2, 4, 6 or 8 and for the establishment of a facility that would serve their needs. Of course, there are Gaelscoileanna in Dublin, but they are not meeting the demand from parents for education through Irish.

In my area, in Cherrywood, there is a demand for a Gaelcholáiste at secondary level. I am not sure what the block is within the Department. They are looking for a Gaelcholáiste in the Cherrywood area. Cherrywood is a new area of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown where Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council has essentially established a planned area. The houses and businesses are now filling up. We have put in place playgrounds and many other facilities. It is well served by the Luas, but the educational facilities also need to be put in place. One of the demands from the local community there is for a Gaelcholáiste, a secondary school through Irish. Throughout the entire Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown area, there are only two such secondary schools, Coláiste Eoin and Coláiste Íosagáin, but they are co-located in a campus in Stillorgan or Booterstown. That is the only secondary school serving the community of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown.

Cherrywood is also looking for a Gaelcholáiste. It is a totally reasonable and appropriate request from a population that wants to have the choice to have their children educated through Irish. It is a valuable commodity for the State. We should be supporting it at every level. I do not know what the block in the Department of Education is. We should ask the Minister to come to the House to talk to us about the provision of Gaeloideachas and the opportunity for every child in this country who wants to be educated through Irish to be educated through Irish at both primary and post-primary level. I support all the calls from various communities for Gaelscoileanna and Gaelcholáistí.