Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 615: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will elaborate on her announcement with regard to the support and development unit for the teaching of Irish at a centre (details supplied) in County Cork; the proposed time-frame for the project; the remit of the centre; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12809/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The new resource to be located at Coláiste Íosagáin in Baile Bhuirne is aimed at supporting and enhancing an integrated spectrum of services to promote Irish as a living language throughout the education system and in Irish language communities, particularly in the Gaeltacht.

The resource will be under the aegis of An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta (COGG), the body responsible for planning and co-ordinating the provision of textbooks and aids for learning and teaching through Irish. Údarás na Gaeltachta will meet the cost of providing the required accommodation in Coláiste Íosagáin for the new COGG resource, in line with a specification to be provided by the Department of Education and Science. COGG will receive an additional €1 million over the next three years and four additional staff will be assigned by COGG to the Baile Bhúirne resource in Coláiste Íosagáin.

The main priority of the new resource will be the coordinating and commissioning of Irish language editions of existing Leaving Certificate texts and designing new teaching and learning aids for the full range of leaving certificate subjects.

Other functions under the remit of COGG to be carried out at Baile Bhúirne include, assisting with the planning and delivery of specialised teacher in-service and curriculum support relating to Irish as a first language, commissioning, analysing and disseminating research on the teaching and learning of Irish at all levels of the education system, contributing in cooperation with third level providers to the development of pre-service training opportunities for student teachers on developing their Irish language proficiency; and assisting national/regional support teams with the design of general in-service programmes for teachers in Irish.

It is intended that COGG and Údarás na Gaeltachta, in addition to discharging their respective remits, will, where appropriate, collaborate with various Irish language groups and support services and this process will be supported by Foras na Gaeilge.

Relevant support services in this context would be the primary Curriculum Support Programme, (PCSP), the Second Level Support Service, (SLSS), the School Development Planning Initiative, (SDP) and the education centre network.

All three bodies will have representatives on a coordinating committee which will advise on cooperative elements of the overall work to be carried out at the Baile Bhúirne resource.

Údarás na Gaeltachta will also relocate its Cork regional office to Baile Mhuirne and establish small enterprise units there. Údarás also plan to bring forward discussions with Iontaobhas Fódhla, who are formulating a proposal to establish a traditional Music Education and Research Centre based on the Séan Ó Riada legacy. It is also planned by Údarás to develop discussions with interested parties regarding the possible provision of further and/or higher education facilities in Coláiste Íosagáin.