Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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78. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills cén dáta faoina dtarlóidh an chéad chéim eile den phróiseas ullmhaithe le haghaidh Polasaí don Oideachas Lán-Ghaeilge lasmuigh den Ghaeltacht agus cathain a chuirfear an chéim sin i gcrích; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [23328/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Seoladh próiseas comhairliúcháin poiblí don pholasaí nua don oideachas lán-Ghaeilge lasmuigh den Ghaeltacht ar an 27 Deireadh Fómhair 2022 chun tuairimí páirtithe leasmhara a fháil; daoine óga, tuismitheoirí, gairmithe oideachais, páirtithe leasmhara oideachais agus eagraíochta Gaeilge ina measc. Tháinig an chéad tréimhse den chomhairliúchán seo, ina raibh ceistneoir ar líne agus glao ar aighneachtaí i scríbhinn, chun críche ar an 30 Eanáir 2023.  

Cuirfear críoch leis an dara tréimhse den phróiseas comhairliúcháin laistigh de mhí. Mar chuid den tréimhse sin, reáchtáladh grúpaí fócais i scoileanna le leanaí agus le daoine óga lena chinntiú go gcloistear a nguthanna sa phróiseas forbartha pholasaí. Tá grúpaí fócais ar siúl ar líne le tuismitheoirí, caomhnóirí, oideachasóirí agus páirtithe leasmhara eile faoi láthair chun téamaí tábhachtacha atá ag teacht chun cinn a fhiosrú.  

Beidh tuilleadh rannpháirtíochta le páirtithe leasmhara, i bhfoirm cruinnithe dé-thaobhacha, sa chéad tréimhse eile den chomhairliúchán. Beidh na cruinnithe le páirtithe leasmhara ábhartha á reáchtáil as seo amach. 

Táim an-sásta leis an méid suime a léiríodh sa chomhairliúchán go dáta agus le líon na bhfreagraí a fuarthas. Tá anailís á dhéanamh ag Sealbhú, DCU faoi láthair ar na haighneachtaí, na freagraí ar na ceistneoirí agus na sonraí ó na grúpaí fócais a bailíodh mar chuid den chéad dá thréimhse den phróiseas comhairliúcháin. Braithfidh an fráma-ama a bhainfidh le forbairt an pholasaí ar an méid ama atá de dhíth le hobair na hanailíse atá bainteach leis na trí thréimhse a chur i gcrích. Pléifear é sin leis an gCoiste Stiúrtha in am tráth. 

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A public consultation process on the new policy on Irish-medium education outside of the Gaeltacht was launched on 27 October 2022 to gather the views of stakeholders, including young people, parents, education professionals, education stakeholders and Irish-language organisations. The first phase of the consultation process, which included an online questionnaire and a call for written submissions, closed on 30 January 2023.  

The second phase of the consultation will reach completion within the coming month. Focus groups were conducted with children and young people, as part of this phase, to ensure their voices were included in the policy development process. Focus groups to explore important themes that are arising are currently taking place with parents, guardians, educators and other stakeholders.

Further engagement with stakeholders, in the form of bilateral meetings, will take place during the next phase of the consultation process. These meetings will be held with relevant stakeholders in the near future.

I am very pleased with the level of interest that has been demonstrated in this consultation to date, and with the number of responses received. Sealbhú, DCU are currently analysing the written submissions, responses to questionnaires and focus group related data which has been collected during the first two phases of the consultation. The time-frame for the development of the policy on Irish-medium education outside of the Gaeltacht will depend upon the time required to complete analysis in respect of the three phases of the consultation. This will be discussed with the Steering Committee in due course.