295. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the steps being taken to reform the teaching of the Irish language at post-primary level to prioritise oral fluency, everyday communication, and cultural connection rather than rote learning for examinations; whether her Department has examined evidence that students' spoken Irish proficiency declines during post-primary education, including among …
Topics / Irish Language
A subject heading for parliamentary questionsIrish Language
278 questions from 62 TDs, between 22 January 2025 and 22 October 2026.
278
questions
270 written, 8 oral
62
TDs have asked
9
parties and groups
Independents counted together
13
departments asked
Questions per month
The record holds no questions for August, when the Dáil does not sit.
Jan 2025Oct 2026
Show as a table
| Month | Questions |
|---|---|
| January 2025 | 3 |
| February 2025 | 7 |
| March 2025 | 13 |
| April 2025 | 9 |
| May 2025 | 14 |
| June 2025 | 10 |
| July 2025 | 31 |
| August 2025 | 0 |
| September 2025 | 9 |
| October 2025 | 11 |
| November 2025 | 33 |
| December 2025 | 5 |
| January 2026 | 1 |
| February 2026 | 11 |
| March 2026 | 29 |
| April 2026 | 15 |
| May 2026 | 12 |
| June 2026 | 29 |
| July 2026 | 14 |
| August 2026 | 0 |
| September 2026 | 20 |
| October 2026 | 2 |
Who asks, by party
The party each TD belonged to on the day, in alphabetical order. Parties differ a lot in size, and members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them, so this shows who raised it, not how much a party cares about it.
The TDs who asked most
Members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them. Each question counts once.
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35
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24
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21
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19
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19
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17
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10
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8
Asked of
Debated under the same heading
Debates whose official heading is exactly these words.
The questions
553. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Health the number of Acts for which her Department has responsibility; the number of these that have official texts available in both English and Irish; the number that are available in English only; the number that are available in Irish only; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33853/26]
1330. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if there are any financial supports/grants for summer camps through Gaeilge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30939/26]
584. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if his Department will consider undertaking a body of research that will outline the socioeconomic impact and value of the Irish language to Gaeltacht Communities (details supplied) with a view to increasing awareness economic value of the Irish language to these communities. [29368/26]
501. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her attention has been drawn to published research (details supplied) outlining that up to 49% of people would send their children to an Irish-medium school if it was available in their locality; the actions she will take to facilitate this demand; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28320/26]
502. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her attention has been drawn to published research (details supplied) outlining that only 4.7% of those surveyed felt they had the option locally to send their children to an Irish-medium school; the actions she will take to facilitate an increase in the number of these schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28321/26]
503. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth her views on the importance of promoting the provision of Gaelscoileanna and Gaelcholáistí; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28322/26]
504. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of Gaelscoileanna operating within the country, broken down by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28323/26]
505. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the percentage of children attending Gaelscoileanna as a percentage of overall primary school children, broken down by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28324/26]
698. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding any assessment of demand for Irish language pre-schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28526/26]
699. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding the number of Irish language pre-schools in operation, broken down by county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28527/26]
700. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding any systems in place to support the increased provision of Irish language pre-schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28528/26]
701. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the position regarding any assessment carried out at a pre-school level into the potential demand for Irish language medium primary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28529/26]
922. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht his plans to ensure the accessibility of the Irish language and Irish classes, particularly for those who want to learn but may not have the means for a private course; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28082/26]
923. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the efforts that have been made to ensure young people's voices are heard and taken into consideration in the language planning process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28084/26]
925. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the grants and supports available for students seeking to attend summer Gaeltacht courses, to ensure cost is not a prevention from accessing these cultural and educational areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28086/26]
1048. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the number of vacancies filled in County Donegal by Irish language candidates in the current interdepartmental higher executive officer competition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24755/26]
37. Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht his plans to ensure the accessibility of the Irish language and Irish classes, particularly for those who want to learn but may not have the means for a private course; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23007/26]
40. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if he will provide a specific progress report on the 20% recruitment target for Irish-competent staff in public bodies as outlined in the Action Plan for Irish Language Public Services 2026-2028; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16843/26]
42. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht his plans to increase youth participation in the language planning process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22528/26]
65. Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht in light of a report (details supplied) noting the surge of interest in Irish language courses, the measures his Department are taking to ensure the Irish language will be increasingly visible, usable and valued in the coming years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23006/26]
520. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the housing incentives being put in place to ensure that the Irish language is protected and flourishes in County Kerry going forward; the steps being taken to ensure Irish speakers continue to live, work, retire, return or relocate to the Kerry Gaeltacht, , Corca Dhuibhne, Dingle Peninsula and Uíbh Ráthaigh, Iveragh P…
521. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the steps being taken to promote the Irish language in the Kerry Gaeltacht, Corca Dhuibhne, Dingle Peninsula and Uíbh Ráthaigh, Iveragh Peninsula; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23302/26]
523. Deputy Barry Heneghan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht whether central guidance exists across public bodies regarding the use of Irish place names, including in cases where the Irish and English versions are similar in spelling; whether his Department is considering the development of a consistent national approach to the use of Irish only place names in such cases; and if…
449. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of students attending Irish medium post primary schools over the last 25 years, by year, in tabular form. [21385/26]