Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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503. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will arrange that a comprehensive plan be developed and implemented to increase the provision of Irish-medium education from 6% to 20% over a 20-year period. [39542/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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There are commitments in the PSrogramme for Government to expand opportunities for pupils and students to attend Gaelscoileanna and Gaelcholáistí, to establish Gaelscoileanna and Gaelcholáistí where there is demand, and also, to support parents choosing Irish-medium education for their children.

Work is currently underway in my department on the development of a new policy on Irish-medium education outside of the Gaeltacht. A comprehensive consultation process was conducted to inform the policy. The department commissioned Sealbhú, a research centre in DCU, to analyse the information gathered through the consultation, and to conduct a review of national and international literature in relation to teaching through the medium of minority languages.

Officials in my department are drawing on the insights gained from this consultation process, and from the research undertaken in developing the new policy. The information gleaned from the consultation is being considered in light of existing provision for Irish-medium education, the estimated demand in the education system, as well as issues relating to teacher supply and the department’s budgetary and legislative context.

I intend to publish the policy in autumn 2025.