Dhearbhaigh urlabhraí Gaeilge, Gaeltachta agus Ealaíon Shinn Féin, Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD, gur chóir don tír stopadh ag teip ar a leanaí agus a gcearta á shéanadh an Ghaeilge a fhoghlaim nó staidéar trí Ghaeilge.
Bhí an Teachta Dála ar son Baile Átha Cliath Lár Theas ag labhairt chun tosaigh ar dhíospóireacht na seachtaine seo chugainn ar rún Dála Shinn Féin chun an oideachas sa Ghaeilge a aithint mar cheart do chách.
Tógann an rún seo anuas ar pholasaí an pháirtí don Ghaeilge san Oideachas, “Níos mó ná díreach an bealach a múintear í” a foilsíodh anuraidh – an chéad polasaí cuimsitheach uile-leibhéal dá leithéid foilsithe ag páirtí polaitiúil – chomh maith leis an bhfeachtas pobalbhunaithe #Gaeilge4All.
Dúirt an Teachta Ó Snodaigh:
“Agus muid ag súil le Seachtain na Gaeilge a cheiliúradh an tseachtain seo chugainn, tá sé tábhachtach go dtéann muid níos faide ná béalghrá agus plámás dár dteanga náisiúnta agus glacadh leis go bhfuil ár gcóras oideachais briste má táimid dáiríre faoi réitithe a aimsiú.
“Sin go díreach atá beartaithe ag Sinn Féin lenár nGnó Comhaltaí Príobháideacha an tseachtain seo chugainn, ag cur rún fíorchuimsitheach chun cinn a bhaineann leas as réimse leathan taighde chun leagan amach go sonrach na dúshláin agus chun 23 ghníomh ar leith a éilimh ón Rialtas trasna gach leibhéal ó na luathbhlianta tríd go dtí an tríú-leibhéal agus an foghlaim aosta.
“Don earnáil oideachais lánGhaeilge – atá thíos leis de thairbhe easpa spás scoile chun freastal ar an éileamh, ganntanais díréireach múinteora, agus cóiríocht míchuí – ní mór dúinn na liúntais ar leith múinteora a thabhairt ar ais, pleananna uaillmhianacha a chur i gcríoch chun scoileanna agus múinteoirí nua meán na Gaeilge a sholáthar don éileamh, agus maoiniú caipitil ar leith a chur ar fáil.
“Maidir le múineadh na Gaeilge i scoileanna Béarla, ní mór dúinn uaireanta reatha teagaisc – atá cheana féin níos lú ná gnáthnósanna idirnáisiúnta – a chosaint agus cur chuige iomlán nua ionchuimsitheach do mhúineadh an dara teanga, curtha in oiriúint do riachtanais gach dalta, bunaithe ar chomhairliúchán agus ag cur béim ar an nGaeilge labhartha, a chur isteach in áit creatlach reatha na ndíolúintí atá tar éis pléascadh 520% le 25 bliain anuas.
“Caithfidh Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, agus a gcuid leathbhádóirí neamhspleácha tarraingt siar freisin ón dochar déanta acu ag fáil réidh le geallúintí tábhachtacha nár cuireadh i bhfeidhm ó Chlár Rialtais 2020.
“Tríd an rún seo a aontú, dhearbhódh an Dáil faoi dheireadh go bhfuil sé de cheart ag gach leanbh oideachas a fháil sa Ghaeilge. Ba chóir go dtacódh duine ar bith a chreideann sa cheart sin leis an rún seo.”
CRÍOCH
Sinn Féin tables Dáil motion to ‘stop failing our children’ by recognising right to education in Irish – Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD
Sinn Féin spokesperson for Gaeilge, Gaeltacht and the Arts, Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD, has insisted that Ireland must stop failing its children by denying their right to learn Irish and study through Irish.
The Dublin South Central TD was speaking ahead of next week’s debate on Sinn Féin’s Dáil motion to guarantee the right to education in Irish for all.
This motion builds on the party’s policy on Irish in Education, “More than just the way it’s taught”, published last year – the first ever comprehensive all-level policy of its kind by a political party – as well as the grassroots #Gaeilge4All campaign.
Teachta Ó Snodaigh said:
“As we look to mark Seachtain na Gaeilge next week, it is important that we move beyond lip-service platitudes to our national language and accept that our education system is broken if we are serious about solutions.
“Sinn Féin is using our Private Members Business next week to do just that, putting forward a very comprehensive motion which makes use of a wide range of research to set out in detail the challenges as well as making 23 specific calls to action for Government across all levels from early years through to third level and adult learning.
“For the Irish medium education sector – whose growth is hampered by a lack of school places to meet demand, disproportionate teacher shortages, and subpar accommodation – we need to restore dedicated teaching allowances, set ambitious plans in motion to deliver new Irish medium schools and teachers to meet demand, and provide dedicated capital funding.
“In terms of how Irish is taught in English medium schools, we need to protect existing teaching hours – which are already below international norms – from further cuts and replace the current framework for exemptions – which have skyrocketed over 520% in 25 years – with an entirely new inclusive approach to second language learning tailored to the needs of all students, based on consultation, emphasising spoke Irish.
“Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and their regional independent cronies also need to undo the harm done by dropping key Programme for Government commitments that went undelivered from 2020.
“By adopting this motion, the Dáil would finally affirm that every child has a right to education in Irish. Anyone who believes in that right should support this motion.”
ENDS
