Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

150. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills maidir le Ceist Pharlaiminte Uimh. 129 an 23 Márta 2023, soiléiriú a thabhairt ar an dul chun cinn atá déanta maidir leis an bplean chun beartas cuimsitheach don Ghaeilge sa chóras oideachais, idir leibhéal an oideachais réamhscoile agus leibhéal an oideachais do mhúinteoirí, a fhorbairt agus a fhoilsiú; cathain a fhoilseofar an beartas nua; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [31567/23]

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

Tá obair ar siúl faoi láthair i mo Roinnse chun polasaí nua don oideachas lán-Ghaeilge lasmuigh den Ghaeltacht a fhorbairt. Tógfaidh an polasaí seo ar an méid atá bainte amach ag an bPolasaí don Oideachas Gaeltachta, agus beidh sé mar chéim thábhachtach eile i dtreo ghealltanas Chlár an Rialtais a chomhlíonadh maidir le forbairt an pholasaí chuimsithigh don Ghaeilge sa chóras oideachais. Déanfar an polasaí don oideachas lán-Ghaeilge a fhorbairt i gcomhthéacs na Straitéise 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge 2010-2030.

Bunaíodh coiste stiúrtha le hionadaithe ó na Ranna Rialtais agus ó na Gníomhaireachtaí Rialtais ábhartha chun maoirseacht a dhéanamh ar fhorbairt an pholasaí.

Coimisiúnaíodh athbhreithniú ar litríocht náisiúnta agus idirnáisiúnta trí phróiseas soláthair phoiblí le bheith mar bhonn eolais d’fhorbairt an pholasaí. Cuirfear críoch leis an athbhreithniú sin go luath.

Cuireadh próiseas comhairliúcháin phoiblí ar bun 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 deireadh leis an gcéad tréimhse den phróiseas comhairliúcháin, a chuimsigh ceistneoir ar líne agus iarraidh ar aighneachtaí scríofa, ar an 30 Eanáir 2023.

Ina theannta sin, cuireadh críoch leis an dara tréimhse den chomhairliúchán le déanaí. Mar chuid den dara tréimhse sin reáchtáladh grúpaí fócais le páistí agus le daoine óga le cinntiú go mbeadh a nguthanna curtha san áireamh mar chuid de phróiseas forbartha an pholasaí. Reáchtáladh grúpaí fócais le tuismitheoirí, caomhnóirí, oideachasóirí agus páirtithe leasmhara eile chomh maith le fiosrú a dhéanamh ar théamaí tábhachtacha a bhí ag teacht chun cinn.

Tá an tríú tréimhse den chomhairliúchán ar bun faoi láthair ina bhfuil cruinnithe dé-thaobhacha á reáchtáil le páirtithe leasmhara ábhartha. Tá sé mar sprioc ag mo Roinnse go gcuirfear críoch leis an tríú tréimhse, an tréimhse deireanach den chomhairliúchán poiblí, sna míonna atá romhainn.

Táim an-sásta leis an méid suime atá léirithe sa chomhairliúchán go dtí seo, agus le líon na bhfreagraí a fuarthas. Tá anailís á dhéanamh ag Sealbhú, DCU faoi láthair ar na haighneachtaí, ar na freagraí ar na ceistneoirí agus ar 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 nua don oideachas lán-Ghaeilge lasmuigh den Ghaeltacht ar an méid ama atá de dhíth le hobair na hanailíse don trí thréimhse a chur i gcrích. Pléifear é sin leis an gCoiste Stiúrtha in am tráth.

Táim ag súil leis an obair thábhachtach seo a chur chun cinn, chun an t-oideachas lán-Ghaeilge a neartú agus chun tógáil ar na torthaí dearfacha atá á mbaint amach cheana féin i gcur i bhfeidhm an Pholasaí don Oideachas Gaeltachta. Táim ag tnúth go mór le bheith ag obair le páirtithe leasmhara ábhartha i bhforbairt an pholasaí seo.

*********************************************

Work on the development of a new policy on Irish-medium education outside of the Gaeltacht is currently underway in my Department. This policy will build on the achievements of the Policy on Gaeltacht Education and will be an important next step towards achieving the Programme for Government commitment to develop a comprehensive policy on Irish in the education system. The policy on Irish-medium education will be developed in the context of the overall framework of the 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030.

A steering committee has been established with representatives from relevant Government Departments and Agencies to oversee the development of the policy.

A review of national and international literature has been commissioned through a public procurement process to inform the development of the policy. This review is nearing completion.

A public consultation process commenced 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 process has also recently been completed. 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 were arising were also held with parents, guardians, educators and other stakeholders.

The third phase of the consultation process is currently underway, in which bilateral meetings are being held with relevant stakeholders. My Department aims to complete this third, and final phase, of the public consultation in the coming months.

I am very happy with the level of interest that has been demonstrated in the 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.

I look forward to progressing this important work of strengthening Irish-medium education provision and building on the positive outcomes already being achieved in the implementation of the Policy on Gaeltacht Education. I also look forward to working with relevant stakeholders in the development of this policy.