Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Chun a fhiafraí den Aire Oideachais maidir le Ceist Pharlaiminte Uimh. 77 an 29 Samhain 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.

Freagra

Tá obair leanúnach ar siúl i mo Roinnse faoi láthair chun polasaí nua a fhorbairt don oideachas lán-Ghaeilge lasmuigh den Ghaeltacht. Tógfaidh an polasaí nua seo ar an méid atá bainte amach ag an bPolasaí don Oideachas Gaeltachta agus beidh sé mar chéim thábhachtach eile i dtreo ghealltanais Chlár an Rialtais a chomhlíonadh.

Tá an coiste stiúrtha le hionadaithe ó na ranna agus gníomhaireachtaí rialtais ábhartha, ag leanúint ar aghaidh ag déanamh maoirseachta ar fhorbairt an pholasaí.

Cuireadh próiseas comhairliúcháin poiblí ar bun chun tuairimí páirtithe leasmhara a fháil – daoine óga, tuismitheoirí, gairmithe oideachais, páirtithe leasmhara oideachais agus eagraíochta Gaeilge ina measc. Bhí trí thréimhse sa chomhairliúchán seo – ceistneoir ar líne agus glao ar aighneachtaí scríofa, sraith grúpaí fócais, agus cruinnithe déthaobhacha idir mo Roinn agus páirtithe leasmhara.

Tá anailís déanta ag Sealbhú, ionad taighde in DCU, ar an eolas ar fad a bailíodh le linn an chomhairliúcháin. Tá na tuairiscí faoi bhráid an Choiste Stiúrtha faoi láthair agus foilseofar ar shuíomh na Roinne in am trátha iad.

Tá réimse gníomhartha glactha le cinntiú go mbeidh an polasaí nua bunaithe ar thaighde reatha:

• Tá athbhreithniú ar an litríocht maidir leis an tumoideachas trí mheán mionteangacha coimisiúnaithe trí phróiseas soláthair phoiblí agus déanta ag Sealbhú, DCU.
• Scríobhadh agus foilsíodh tuarascáil a thugann léargas ar sholáthar don oideachas lán-Ghaeilge lasmuigh den Ghaeltacht ag mo Roinnse.
• Tá taighde maidir le haonaid agus sruthanna lán-Ghaeilge i scoileanna meán-Bhéarla ar bun.
• Foilsíodh dhá thuarascáil ilchodacha ar thorthaí cigireachta ar chaighdeán soláthair oideachais i nGaelscoileanna agus i nGaelcholáistí in earrach na bliana 2021. Tugann na tuarascálacha seo léargas cabhrach ar chleachtais i scoileanna. Tá tuarascáil ar thorthaí cigireachta ar naíonraí á ullmhú chomh maith.

Táim ag súil leis an obair thábhachtach seo a thabhairt 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 súil freisin le bheith ag obair leis na páirtithe leasmhara ábhartha chun na céimeanna éagsúla chun an polasaí a fhorbairt a chur chun cinn.

Answer

Work is currently ongoing in my Department on the development of a new policy on Irish-medium education outside of the Gaeltacht. This new policy will build on the achievements of the Policy on Gaeltacht Education and will be another important step towards achieving the Programme for Government commitment.

The steering committee with representatives from relevant Government Departments and Agencies is continuing to oversee the development of the policy.

A public consultation process has been conducted to gather the views of stakeholders, including young people, parents, education professionals, education stakeholders and Irish-language organisations. There were three phases in this consultation – an online questionnaire and a call for written submissions, a series of focus groups, and bilateral meetings between my Department and stakeholders.

Sealbhú, the research centre in DCU, has carried out an analysis of all information gathered during the consultation. The reports are currently being reviewed by the Steering Committee and will be published on the Department’s website in due course.

A number of actions are being taken to ensure that the new policy will be informed by current research:

• A review of national and international literature has been commissioned through a public procurement process and has been carried out by Sealbhú, DCU.
• A report giving an overview of provision for Irish-medium education outside of Gaeltacht areas was compiled and published by my Department.
• Research on Irish-medium Aonaid and Sruthanna (Units and Streams) in English-medium schools is being carried out.
• Two composite reports on inspection findings on the quality of educational provision in Gaelscoileanna and Gaelcholáistí were published in spring 2021. These reports provide a helpful insight into practice in schools. A report on inspection findings from visits to Irish-medium early learning and care settings is also being prepared.

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.