2026-02-12

103. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh den Aire Oideachais agus Óige na ceantair pleanála scoile sa Stát nach bhfuil meánscoil lánGhaeilge iontu a ainmniú, agus cad iad na bearta i ngach cás acu atá déanta ag a Roinn chun an bearna sin a líonadh [10906/26]

Tá an cheist seo dírithe ar na ceantair pleanála scoile sa Stáit nach bhfuil meánscoil lánGhaeilge iontu agus iad sin a ainmniú, agus ar cad atá ar siúl chun an bearna sin a líonadh agus an t-éileamh atá ann do Ghaelscolaíocht ag an dara leibhéal a shásamh.

Mar a d’fhéadfadh an Teachta Dála a bheith ar an eolas faoi, tá 314 ceantar pleanála scoile ar fud na tíre agus tá 50 Gaelcholáiste ag feidhmiú faoi láthair. Seolfar liosta de na ceantair pleanála scoile nach bhfuil iarbhunscoil lánGhaeilge nó Gaelcholáiste iontu go díreach chuig an Teachta Dála mar a iarradh. There is varying demand for Irish-medium post-primary provision across the country, which is evidenced by the majority of Gaelcholáiste having underutilised capacity, even in areas of demographic pressures. Aonaid are an important element of Irish-medium post-primary provision where demand levels are not sufficient to support a sustainable Gaelcholáiste. Many school planning areas are meeting local needs in this way. D'fhoilsigh mo Roinn plean infheistíochta earnála le déanaí ina soláthraítear faisnéis ar threo an tsoláthair trí mheán na Gaeilge agus luaitear ann go ndearnadh infheistíocht chaipitil €466 milliún ó bhí 2020 ann. Tá infheistíocht bhreise beartaithe faoi choinne soláthar trí mheán na Gaeilge mar chuid d’fheidhmiú céimneach tionscadal faoin PFN in 2026 agus in 2027. The programme for Government 2025, Securing Ireland's Future, includes a commitment to establish Gaelscoileanna and Gaelcholáiste where there is demand and support for parents choosing Irish-medium education for their children. In that context, last November my Department published a policy for Irish-medium education outside the Gaeltacht. The policy sets out the Department's vision that high-quality Irish-medium education will be available to all in inclusive and multicultural settings. A task force on models of provision of Irish-medium education was established as a key action under the policy. The role of that task force is to provide a platform for collaboration between the Department and key stakeholders to develop a pathway to increase the provision of Irish-medium education. That task force is expected to be completed within one year and will make recommendations to my Department on areas such as the criteria for Irish-medium education provision and how to support schools transitioning to Irish-medium education and mechanisms to facilitate expansion.

Tuigim cad atá á rá ag an Aire agus fáiltím roimh an tascfhórsa, ach amháin go bhfuil sé blianta ró-dhéanach do a lán dóibh siúd atá tar éis teacht tríd an córas Gaeloideachais ag an mbunleibhéal, agus nach raibh aon sholáthar dóibh dul chuig meánscoil trí mheán na Gaeilge. Is é sin an Stát ag loic ar na cearta oideachais agus teanga atá na daltaí sin ar fad. Ní mise atá á rá sin, ach an Coimisinéir Teanga. Dúirt an coimisinéir ag an gcoiste Gaeilge, Gaeltachta agus Pobal Labhartha na Gaeilge in 2024, "Ní léir go bhfuil freastal cóir á dhéanamh, áfach, ar an éileamh ar sholáthar na iarbhunscolaíochta lán-Ghaeilge." Ní leor an méid sin. Ar an liosta de na ceantair nach bhfuil an soláthar sin ar fáil iontu, cé go bhfuil an t-éileamh ann, tá leithéidí Caisleán an Bharraigh, Cill Dhéagláin, Coill na Silíní, Droichead na Bandan, Fionnbhrú, Sord agus Mullach Íde. Is iad sin na háiteanna ina bhfuil breis is 500 dalta ag iarraidh freastal ar Ghaelcholáiste. Is gá obair i bhfad Éireann níos tapúla a dhéanamh ná mar atá i gceist ó thaobh an tascfhórsa de.

We have a commitment in the programme for Government to establish Gaelscoileanna and Gaelcholáistí where there is demand to support parents to choose Irish-medium education for their children. My Department launched the new policy last November. A key action of that policy was the establishment of the task force. My Department has established three new Irish-medium post-primary schools since 2014 for demographic reasons - Coláiste Ghlór na Mara in Balbriggan, Gaelcholáiste an Phiarsaigh in Rathfarnham, and Gaelcholáiste Charraig Uí Leighin in Cork. The task force is going to make recommendations covering a number areas such as the models needed to provide Irish-medium education at primary and post-primary levels, the definitions of those various models, how inclusive the high quality of Irish-medium education that can be provided within each model along that continuum, what supports the schools may need to implement these models and how to effectively assess the demand for Irish-medium education.

Tá léarscáil ansin agus tabharfaidh mé don Aire níos déanaí é. Taispeánann na pointí buí ar an léarscáil na Gaelscoileanna. Tá éileamh ann don oideachas trí Ghaeilge. Níl, nach mór i lár na tíre ar fad, aon mheánscoil lánGhaeilge. Tá éileamh ann. B'fhéidir nach bhfuil sé chomh mór céanna leis an éileamh don Bhéarla, ach ní chiallaíonn sé sin gur chóir don Stát loic ar na cearta atá ag daltaí oideachas a bheith acu trí Ghaeilge. Tá ag teipeadh ar an Stát. Glacaim leis go bhfuil céimeanna chun tosaigh glactha ach, in ainneoin an méid a dúirt an tAire, níl go leor acu. Is gá díriú isteach air sin. Dúirt an tAire ag an tús go bhfuil 314 ceantar pleanála scoile ann. Tá 264 acu sin gan meánscoil trí Ghaeilge. Is léiriú é sin ar an fhadhb bhunúsach atá ann ó thaobh an Stát de. An bhfuil an Roinn chun díriú isteach ar na háiteanna ar luaigh mé ina bhfuil feachtais, tuismitheoirí agus éileamh atá cruthaithe cheana féin?

Aontaím go hiomlán leis an méid atá ráite ag mo chomhghleacaí, an Teachta Ó Snodaigh, i dtaobh na háiteanna nach bhfuil meánscoileanna lánGhaeilge iontu. Tá an-chuid de na meánscoileanna lánGhaeilge atá againn faoi bhrú i dtaobh foirgnimh agus spáis. Tá éileamh níos mó ann ná mar gur féidir leo freastal air de dheasca an easpa infheistíochta i bhfoirgnimh, suíomhanna agus a leithéid. Táim ag smaoineamh ar Ghaelcholáiste Phort Láirge i gcathair Phort Láirge, a bhfuil ag feidhmiú as prefabs le blianta anuas agus nach bhfuil baile dá chuid féin aige. Freastalaíonn an Ghaelcholáiste seo ar éileamh ó roinnt mhaith bunscoileanna lánGhaeilge sa cheantar - i dTrá Mhór, i gcathair Phort Láirge agus sa cheantar mághuaird. Ta géarghá anois le hinfheistíocht ní hamháin sna cheantair nach bhfuil meánscoil lánGhaeilge iontu ach freisin sna meánscoileanna lánGhaeilge atá ar an bhfód cheana féin.

Ba mhaith liom déileáil le fadhb atá ann maidir le Gaelcholáiste Dhún Dealgan. Tá sé mar scoil satailíte de chuid Choláiste Ghlór na Mara i mBaile Brigín. Tá fadhb sa scoil maidir leis an gcóras iompair. Nílimid sásta leis an bhfreagra atá faighte againn ón Roinn. Níl córas iompair á chur ar fáil fá choinne na scoile. Ba cheart go mbeidh sé sin déanta. Chomh maith leis sin, tá fadhb ann maidir le scrúduithe. Tá uimhir scrúdaithe de dhíth ón scoil fá choinne na scrúduithe móra Stáit. It is fairly straightforward. There is a particular issue with the Gaelcholáiste. It is trying to grow its numbers. It is a project to try to grow a Gaelcholáiste at secondary level in Dundalk through Irish and it really needs facilitation in relation to transport. The answer at the minute from the Department is not good enough. An exam number is needed so people do not have to travel to Balbriggan to do the State exams.

There are currently 50 Gaelcholáistí across the country and almost all of them are undersubscribed for enrolments. This Government is committed to establishing and supporting-----

On a point of order, the Minister cannot put wrong facts on the record. Coláistí Eoin and Iosagáin are bursting at the seams. They are not undersubscribed in any sense. The Department has accepted that.

The Minister to respond. Can the Deputy sit down, please?

My Department and the Government are absolutely committed to expanding the number of Gaelcholáistí and Gaelscoileanna across the country. As the Deputy knows, there was a recent primary school survey which included questions to establish parental interest in Irish-medium provision and while it was a survey for primary schools, it provides very useful information and a guide to inform post-primary provision. There will be further clarity on the outcomes of that survey later this year. We have committed in the programme for Government to establishing Gaelscoileanna and Gaelcholáistí where there is demand. The task force in undergoing work in relation to this. I will keep Members updated. I am absolutely in support of the need to expand this and where schools need to be upgraded as part of our NDP, the Department will engage directly with those schools, particularly with the energy and condition surveys that are happening throughout this year.