Joe O'Toole (Independent)
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Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit as ucht teacht isteach anseo anocht. Bunaíodh an Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta chun comhairle a thabhairt don Aire Oideachais agus Eolaíochta as well as to the various committees dealing with the curriculum. An jab atá acu ná iniúchadh ar chás speisialta na scoileanna Gaeltachta agus na ngaelscoileanna. Tá an grúpa seo curtha le chéile ag an Aire faoin chumhacht atá aici faoi alt 31 agus alt 55 den Acht Oideachais 1998. Tá ainmniúcháin ag an Aire í féin agus ag grúpaí áirithe, mar shampla, na ceardchumainn. Níl mé ag díriú isteach ar na grúpaí sin anocht. Tá daoine áirithe tofa as na gaelscoileanna agus as na Gaeltachtaí.

Tá géarghá ar an Aire Oideachais agus Eolaíochta cosc láithreach a chur ar an toghchán atá ag dul ar aghaidh. An deacracht atá ann ná seo — tá cosúlacht ann go bhfuil an próiseas atá á úsáid neamhshláindiúil agus, b'fhéidir, mídhleathach. Tá sé cinnte nach bhfuil aon bhunús dleathach air seo. Tá deacracht ann mar nach bhfuil aon rialacha ná treoirlínte ar conas a rachaidh an toghchán seo foilsithe nó ar fáil. Níl aon soiléireacht ann ó thaobh liosta dóibh siúd a bhfuil cead vótála acu. Níl register of electors d'aon sórt ann. Níl aon rialacha foilsithe mar gheall ar iarrthóirí— cad as dóibh, cad iad na coinníollacha atá ag baint leo, an bhfuil sprioclá ann ar chóir ainmneacha na n-iarrthóirí a chur isteach roimhe, srl.

Ar an dtaobh eile den scéal, ba chóir go mbeadh seans ag iarrthóirí tarraingt siar nuair a fheiceann siad líon na ndaoine atá ainmnithe, go mórmhór ó thaobh na nGaeltachtaí de. Samhlaigh ar na ndaoine i nGaeltacht Thír Chonaill, i nGaeltacht na Rinne i gContae Phort Láirge in aice leis an Aire Stáit, i gContae na Mí, i gCorca Dhuibhne, i gCorcaigh, i Maigh Eo agus i nGaillimh — b'fhéidir nach bhfuil a lán ag tarlú eatarthu go dtí go bhféachann daoine ar cé eile atá ag dul ag iarraidh toghchán. Tá gach seans ann go bhfuil daoine ar aon aigneann ab fhearr dóibh duine amháin a chur chun cinn agus na daoine eile atá ar aon aigne leo a tharraingt siar chun go n-éireódh le duine éigin eile an beart a dhéanamh.

Ba mhaith liom sampla a thabhairt de na deacrachtaí éagsúla. Tá na páipéir bhallóide imithe amach faoin am seo. Creid é nó ná creid, tá misspellings ina lán acu. Níl aon tuiscint agam ar conas a chuirtear na liostaí le chéile. Ní dóigh liom go bhfuil na hainmneacha nó na sloinnte in ord aibítreach. Níl aon tuiscint agam ar conas a cuireadh le chéile iad. Ní raibh aon eolas tugtha dóibh siúd atá ag vótáil ar na hiarrathóirí; mar shampla, cén sórt cúlra atá acu, cad iad na polasaithe atá acu, cad as dóibh — b'fhéidir go bhfuil sé sin ann — cén sórt taithí, cáilíochtaí nó cúlra atá acu nó cén sórt polasaithe a bheidh á chur chun cinn acu. Ní raibh aon teacht ag na hiarrthóirí féin ar na daoine a bhí ag caitheamh vótaí. Ní raibh seans acu an rud a phlé nó aon sórt canbhasála a dhéanamh. Tá an rud ag dul chun cinn faoi lánseol faoi láthair.

Má théann aon duine isteach sna cúirteanna chun ceist a chur ar an gcúirt an bhfuil an toghchán seo dleathach, nó an féidir leis dul ar aghaidh, tá mé cinnte go mbeidh an chúirt ar aon aigne leo siúd atá corraithe mar gheall ar an tslí a bhfuil sé seo ag dul chun cinn. B'fhéidir go ndearna duine éigin botún nádúrtha nó tharla míthuiscint mhacánta gan aon daoine a bheith ag déanamh aon rud d'aon ghnó anseo. Níl a fhios agam é sin, ach tá tuiscint mhór agam nár chóir ligint dó seo dul ar aghaidh. Tá tuismuitheóirí, múinteóirí agus baill de bhoird bhainistíochta na scoileanna á dtoghadh ar an chomhairle againn. Tá sé thar a bheith tábhachtach. Tá jab tábhachtach acu. Tá sé an-tábhachtach don Ghaeilge agus don oideachas Gaeilge go mbeidh gach rud above suspicion and above question, i ndáiríre. Is é sin an rud atá i gceist agamsa. Caithfidh an tAire féachaint isteach sa rud seo. An rud atá á mholadh agam ná gur chóir an rud seo a chur ar athló chun seans a thabhairt dúinn treoirlínte a chur ar faíl agus a fhoilsiú, chun rialacha a bheith againn agus chun tuiscint a thabhairt do gach éinne faoi cad atá ar siúl.

We should proceed in the manner I have outlined. An election is planned to elect people to the Comhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta, which will give advice on teaching and learning through the Irish language in gaelscoileanna and in Gaeltacht areas. As politicians, we understand the election process better than most. The names of the candidates have been submitted. Some people thought they would have an opportunity to withdraw their names from the list of candidates after they had seen the full list. They might have liked to step aside in favour of another candidate who shares their view of the world, as normally happens in any election process. It is amazing that the people going forward for election have not been given a list of the people who are voting. Can Senators imagine that being allowed to happen in any kind of election, regardless of its importance? This is a light touch regulation — there is no need for a constitutional position but fair play is necessary. Those who are voting have not been given an opportunity to get to know the people seeking election and those seeking election have not been given an opportunity to make their views known to the people who are voting. Nobody can win.

I will repeat what I said in Irish. I have raised this matter in a very honest way. I am not trying to take a cheap political shot at anybody. This important group of people has not yet been allowed to do its job, but that is a separate issue that I will talk about on another occasion. It is important that they be given every support. I want them to start off with full, proper procedures so that nobody can question whether they are above suspicion.

I know the Minister is a sensible woman and I would be amazed if she did not share my views on this. We do not need to carry a big stick on this issue. The easy way to do this is to put the election on hold, set up rules and regulation and then look at it again.

John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Senator for raising this issue and will respond on behalf of the Minister for Education and Science, who is in China signing an agreement on the mutual recognition of qualifications between Ireland and China.

Comhairle was first established in March 2002 and is composed of a chairperson and 22 representative members. Membership of the council was agreed in 2001 following consultations with relevant interests. The board is composed of nominees of Eagraíocht na Scoileanna Gaeltachta, gaelscoileanna, teachers, parents, school management, teacher unions, Foras na Gaeilge, and Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge. The composition of the council also provides for two nominees of the Minister and two members co-opted by Comhairle, who are to have a particular knowledge of and expertise in the study and research of the Irish language. The first members of Comhairle were appointed on 12 March 2002 for a four-year term. The nominations in respect of teachers, parents and school management were provided by gaelscoileanna and Eagraíocht na Scoileanna Gaeltachta when the body was first established. The first four year term of office of Comhairle will end on 11 March 2006.

It was agreed at the autumn 2005 meeting of Comhairle, at the request of two organisations, that the nominations for future elections of the parent, teacher and management representatives of Gaeltacht schools and gaelscoileanna would be organised directly by Comhairle. A document outlining a five stage process was approved at the board meeting of 24 November 2005. The first stage was for a letter to issue to the chairperson of all boards of management of Gaeltacht and all-Irish schools seeking details of the representatives of parents, management and teacher interests on the boards so that elections could be organised. A copy would also be sent to the school principal. The second stage was for a letter to issue to the chairperson of all boards of management of Gaeltacht and all-Irish schools enclosing individual letters to each named representative of teachers, management and parents, seeking nominations of candidates seeking election. This would seek details such as the signed agreement of the person seeking election together with his or her proposer and seconder.

The third stage was for preparation of separate ballot papers listing the candidates proposed for election to the management, teacher and parent seats on Comhairle in respect of Gaeltacht and all-Irish schools. These were to issue in registered post to the chairpersons of the school boards of management addressed to the individuals named from stage one, with a copy also sent to the school principal. An advertisement was also to be placed in Láand Foinse. Stage four was that on the prescribed date, the votes would be counted in the presence of a scrutineer and any other voters who wish to be present. The final stage was for the results to be posted on Comhairle's website and successful candidates notified. These rules were prepared by a sub-committee and later approved by the board of Comhairle, but as the election progressed, it emerged that they were not sufficiently detailed to deal with a number of issues which subsequently arose.

Given that there has not been sufficient time for these specific issues to be discussed and agreed in advance of the election, the Minister for Education and Science has agreed to extend the term of office of the current board for a further period as an exceptional matter. This will allow time for Comhairle to engage in detailed discussions with the relevant interests to allow for the election procedures to be specified in greater detail and agreed with the parties concerned. I thank the Senator again for raising this issue.

Joe O'Toole (Independent)
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Go raibh míle maith agat. Fáiltím go mór roimh an méid atá ráite ag an Aire. Táim an-sásta go bhfuil an toghchán curtha ar athló agus go mbeidh seans ag Comhairle dul ar aghaidh lena cuid oibre ar feadh cúpla mí or however long it takes. Taispeánann sé seo tábhacht an tSeanaid mar seo é an sórt ruda ar féidir leat a dhéanamh sa Seanad nach bhféadfá sa Dáil, because there would be too much achrainn in there ar rudaí mar sin. Tá mé an-sásta leis sin agus táim buíoch den Aire agus den Aire Stáit. Beidh a lán daoine sásta leis an méid seo anocht agus tabharfaidh sé wind in the sails do Chomhairle nuair a thiocfaidh sé chun cinn amach anseo.