Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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187. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason education and training boards are communicating with Gaelscoileanna and Gaeltacht schools in English only; the reason administration materials used by ETBs are in English only; his views on whether schools should be able to conduct their business with the ETBs in the language of the school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53028/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The Deputy will be aware that Education and Training Boards are public bodies and are therefore obliged to have their own language schemes in place to implement their obligations under Official Languages Act 2003. 

ETBs have responsibilities to support appropriately the all-Irish Schools and Colleges operating under their management. However, individual language schemes are a matter for each ETB and are not collated centrally.

My Department actively supports the Irish language and recently issued Circular 34/2017 to inform managerial authorities, principals and teachers of the initial steps being taken by my Department in the implementation of the Policy on Gaeltacht Education 2017-2021 for the school year 2017/18.

This circular also advised schools participating in the Gaeltacht School Recognition Scheme to prioritise the use of Irish in communicating with parents, the local community and other parties.