Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

164. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will report on the key findings of the research and evaluation study on the Gaeltacht school recognition scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57299/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

A three-year Research and Evaluation Study is underway to evaluate the impact of the Gaeltacht School Recognition Scheme and the extent to which participating schools are fulfilling the language-based criteria to strengthen immersion education.

A comprehensive Case-Study Report on 12 primary and 7 post-primary schools was published by my Department in September 2021 and is available online at

This research was carried out by the Educational Research Centre in collaboration with the Inspectorate.

The Case-Study Report on the Scheme included many positive findings in relation to:

- the practice of boards of management, teachers, pupils and parents regarding the use of Irish

- schools’ re-energised vision for the Irish language and the Gaeltacht, which school leaders have effectively communicated to their communities

- the increased use and promotion of Irish language and culture in school communities

- the effective implementation of the two-year period of early immersion in Irish, which is being implemented in all case-study primary schools

- the innovative strategies implemented in a number of schools to extend the use of Irish

- the use of digital technology as a teaching resource in certain instances

The following areas were identified as requiring further development:

- the need to address challenges in relation to the use of Irish as the language of socialisation among students in some post-primary schools

-the need, in some cases, to better facilitate the effective transition from early learning settings to Gaeltacht primary schools

- the need to develop the role of parents and pupils/students in action-planning and school self-evaluation processes

The ERC continues to conduct research on student attainment and on the views of parents, students, teachers and principals of participating schools. It is intended that a further report will be published by my Department in 2022.