Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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538. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills cén chaoi a mbíonn scoláire a tógadh sa Ghaeltacht cáilithe do cheann de na háiteanna a bhíonn coinnithe do scoláire Gaeltachta sna cúrsaí céime d’ábhar oidí bunscoile de bharr gur cuireadh deireadh le Scéim Labhairt na Gaeilge sa bhliain 2010; an bhfuil malairt teiste ann dóibh siúd atá ag cónaí sa Ghaeltacht ó shin; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [14788/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Is eol dom go bhfuil an Teachta ag tagairt don soláthar fadbhunaithe atá ann trínar féidir suas le 10% d’áiteanna ar chlár na Céime Baitsiléir Oideachais (B.Ed) bunscoile sna ceithre Institiúid Ardoideachais bunscoile atá maoinithe ag an stát a chur in áirithe d’iarrthóirí a bhfuil cónaí orthu sa Ghaeltacht ainmnithe go hoifigiúil agus arb í an Ghaeilge gnáththeanga an bhaile dóibh.

Faoi láthair, is iad na critéir roghnúcháin chun incháilitheacht iarrthóra don bhealach iontrála sin chun teagaisc a mheas ná go bhfuil seoladh baile an iarrthóra i gceantar Gaeltachta agus go raibh an teaghlach ag fáil deontais roimhe sin faoin  Scéim Labhairt na Gaeilge  (SLG).

I gcásanna nach raibh teaghlach iarrthóra ag fáil deontais Scéim Labhairt na Gaeilge roimhe sin ach a bhfuil cónaí air nó uirthi i gceantar Gaeltachta, tabharfar cuireadh don iarrthóir chun agallaimh a dhéanamh chun a fháil amach an í Gaeilge teanga an bhaile.

Is mian liom a chur in iúl don Teachta go bhfuil athbhreithniú á dhéanamh ag mo Roinn ar na critéir agus ar an bpróiseas roghnúcháin don bhealach iontrála áirithe sin chun teagaisc, lenar cuimsíodh comhairliúchán leis na páirtithe leasmhara ábhartha. Tuigim go bhfuil an t-athbhreithniú sin beagnach tugtha chun críche agus déanfar fógra a luaithe a bheidh an próiseas críochnaithe.

Is é príomhaidhm an Pholasaí don Oideachas Gaeltachta (2017-2022) soláthar múinteoirí nua-cháilithe a bhfuil an inniúlacht acu meánoideachas ardchaighdeáin trí Ghaeilge a sholáthar i scoileanna, go háirithe i suíomhanna scoile Gaeltachta. 

Chun oibriú i dtreo chuspóir an Pholasaí a bhaint amach, d’fhonn soláthar múinteoirí a bhfuil an inniúlacht acu oideachas ardchaighdeáin Gaeilge a sholáthar i scoileanna, d’fhógair mo Roinn go seachadfaí dhá chlár nua oideachais trí mheán na Gaeilge do mhúinteoirí lena n-áirítear clár B.Ed. um Oiliúint Tosaigh Múinteoirí (teagasc bunscoile) agus Máistreacht ar Oideachas trí mheán na Gaeilge agus na Gaeltachta, a sheachadfaidh suas le 60 áit nua d’Oideachas Múinteoirí trí Ghaeilge gach bliain.

English Version

I am aware that the Deputy is referring to the long standing provision which exists whereby up to 10% of places on the primary Bachelor of Education (B.Ed)  Degree programme in the four state funded  primary Higher Education Institutions may be reserved for candidates who reside in the officially designated Gaeltacht and the normal language of whose home is Irish.  

Currently, the selection criteria for assessing a candidates eligibility for this entry route to teaching is that the candidate’s home address is in a Gaeltacht area and that the household was previously in receipt of a grant under the Scéim Labhairt na Gaeilge (SLG). 

 In instances where a candidate’s household were not previously in receipt of a Scéim Labhairt na Gaeilge but reside in a Gaeltacht area, the candidate will be invited to interview to establish if the language of home is Irish.

I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has been reviewing the criteria and selection process for this particular entry route to teaching, which has included consultation with the relevant stakeholders.  I understand that this review is near completion and an announcement will be made as soon as the process is complete.

A key aim of the Policy on Gaeltacht Education (2017-2022) is to increase the supply of newly-qualified teachers with the competence to deliver high quality Irish-medium education in schools, particularly in Gaeltacht school settings. 

To work towards achieving the Policy’s objective of increasing the supply of teachers with the competence to deliver high quality Irish-medium education in schools, my Department announced the delivery of two new Irish-medium teacher education programmes including an Irish-medium B.Ed. Initial Teacher Education programme (primary teaching) and Masters on Irish-medium and Gaeltacht Education, which will deliver up to 60 new places for Teacher Education through Irish annually.