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An increase in school pupils’ exemptions from Irish has been sharply criticized.
Ardú ar dhíolúití daltaí scoile ón nGaeilge cáinte go géar.
There is an urgent need for a policy for the Irish language in the education system from pre-school to the 3rd level.
Tá géarghá le polasaí don Ghaeilge sa gcóras oideachais ón réamhscoil go dtí an 3ú leibhéal.
That’s how Irish organizations and educational organizations spoke before the Oireachtas Committee of the Irish-Speaking Community today, where the huge increase in the number of students who are exempted from studying Irish was severely criticized over the past few decades.
Sin mar a labhair eagraíochtaí Gaeilge agus eagrais oideachais os comhair Choiste Oireachtais Phobal Labhartha na Gaeilge inniu, áit ar cáineadh go géar an t-ardú ollmhór atá tagtha le scór bliain ar líon na ndaltaí a fháigheann díolúine ó staidéar na Gaeilge.
Over the past 4 years there has been a change in the way in which an exemption from Irish can be granted to a student.
Le 4 bliana anuas tá athrú tagtha ar an mbealach ar féidir díolúine ón nGaeilge a bhronnadh ar dhalta.
Now permission from a school principal is sufficient, instead of a psychologist’s report as before.
Anois is leor cead ó phríomhoide scoile, in áit tuairisc siceolaí mar a bhí roimhe sin.
But it was said at the Joint Committee this evening that there is only one reason for the large increase in exemptions – from 2.5% of the country’s school students in 1999 to 11% today.
Ach dúradh ag an gComhchoiste tráthnóna nach bhfuil ansin ach aon chúis amháin leis an ardú mór ar na díolúintí – ó 2.5 faoin gcéad de dhaltaí scoile na tíre i 1999 go 11 faoin gcéad sa lá atá inniu ann.
General Secretary of the Irish Language League Julian de Spáin told the Committee that more than one in ten post-primary students received an exemption from Irish in the 2021/2022 school year.
Dúirt Ard-Rúnaí Conradh na Gaeilge Julian de Spáinn leis an gCoiste go bhfuair níos mó ná duine as gach deichniúr dalta iarbhunscoile díolúine ón nGaeilge sa scoilbhliain 2021/2022.
That’s a total of 41,158 post-primary students.
Sin 41,158 dalta iarbhunscoile san iomlán.
“A demonstration of failure and the State’s discrediting that there are 41,158 post-primary students whose life opportunities will be restricted due to a faulty system overseen by the Department of Education,” said the Spaniard.
“Léiriú ar teip agus cur i gceill an Stáit go bhfuil 41,158 dalta iarbhunscoile a mbeidh srian ar a gcuid deiseanna saoil mar gheall ar chóras lochtach a bhfuil an Roinn Oideachais i bhfeighil air,’ a dúirt an Spáinneach.
The President of Irish Education, Micheál S Mac Donnacha said that there is evidence that students are turning their backs on Irish because they are granted exemptions far too quickly.
Dúirt Uachtarán Ghaeloideachas, Micheál S Mac Donnacha go bhfuil fianaise ann go bhfuil daltaí ag tabhairt droim lámha don Ghaeilge toisc go mbronntar díolúintí i bhfad ró-thapa orthu.
‘It’s getting worse with the circular that was introduced two years ago,’ he said.
‘Tá sé ag éirí níos measa leis an gciorcalán a tugadh isteach dhá bhliain ó shin,’ a dúirt sé.
The organization that is the patron of most of the Gaelscoileanna and Gaelcholáistí in the country told the committee that the system of exemptions is operating in a vacuum, and is harming the promotion of the language.
Dúirt an eagraíocht atá mar phátrún ar chuid mhór de Ghaelscoileanna agus Gaelcholáistí na tíre leis an gcoiste gur i bhfolús atá córas na ndiolúintí ag feidhmiú, agus ag déanamh dochair do chur chun cinn na teangan.
Caoimhín Ó hEadhra, Secretary General of the Foras Pátrúnachta “requires cohesion and interconnection between the Department of Education, the Department of the Gaeltacht and the other Departments of the State regarding the issue of the Irish language – which is necessary to achieve the goals of the Irish Language Strategy,’ he said.
Dúirt Caoimhín Ó hEadhra, Ard-Rúnaí ar an bhForas Pátrúnachta “go dteastaíonn comhthathú agus idirnasc idir an Roinn Oideachais, Roinn na Gaeltachta agus na Ranna eile Stáit maidir le ceist na Gaeilge – rud atá riachtanach le go mbainfear spriocanna Straitéis na Gaeilge amach,’ a dúirt sé.
The Department of Education is standing by the changes that have been made to the system of exemptions but the Oireachtas Committee says that they do not intend to let the sticks flow on a subject that is attracting talk and dispute again.
Tá an Roinn Oideachais ag seasamh leis na hathruithe atá déanta ar chóras na ndíolúintí ach deir an Coiste Oireachtais nach bhfuil sé i gceist acu na maidí a ligeann le sruth ar ábhar atá ag tarraingt chainte agus aighnis arís.