Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 19: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the steps she is taking to implement the findings of the steering group established under the auspices of the commission on school accommodation to establish criteria and procedures for establishing and maintaining provision through the medium of Irish in second level schools or clusters of schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39342/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The report of the steering group of the commission on school accommodation, entitled Criteria and Procedures for Establishing and Maintaining Provision through the Medium of Irish in Second Level Schools or Clusters of Schools, presents a framework of key issues and makes a number of recommendations on the provision of second level education through the medium of Irish. The report is currently being examined in my Department in conjunction with another of the commission's reports on the Criteria and Procedures for the Recognition of New Second Level Schools. This is because many of the recommendations, particularly relating to the suggested procedure for recognition, apply equally to schools offering educational provision through the medium of English and through the medium of Irish.

A structured process for the recognition of primary schools is in operation and I am anxious to replicate in the post-primary sector the principles of openness, transparency and consultation under which that process operates. I expect in the coming months to be in a position to set out how the issues raised in the reports will be addressed, including how to provide a formal recognition process.