Paul Murphy calls for Gaeiltocht support and Leaving Cert reversal
Paul Murphy addressed the government on Irish-language policy and the Gaeiltocht, urging support for the Gaeiltocht for All campaign and an immediate education consultation. He pressed for reversal of the decision to move Paper 1 of the Irish Leaving Cert to 5th year, citing State Examinations Commission concerns and potential harm to students.
Study findings on language transmission
A study published last year showed only 23% of parents in the Gaeiltocht are raising their children through Irish. Murphy used this statistic to argue that there can be no real language revival without native speakers.
Campaign and policy demands
Murphy asked the Taoiseach to commit the Government to supporting the Gaeiltocht for All campaign and to direct the Department of Education to begin an immediate consultation process to formulate Irish-language policy throughout the education system. He stressed the need to treat Irish as a living language rather than merely a subject to be passed for exams.
Leaving Cert concerns and FOI information
According to information received by Conor and Gaeiltocht under FOI, the State Examinations Commission has expressed great concern about moving Paper 1 of the Irish Leaving Cert to 5th year. Murphy warned of the grave consequences this scheduling change would have for students' education, particularly for male students, and he asked whether the Government would reverse the decision.
Government response and debate tone
In reply, the Taoiseach said the matter required care, deeper analysis and that a report had been received, noting issues such as people being crammed into the Gaeiltocht. The Taoiseach acknowledged the complexity of pursuing "Irish for everybody" and described the task as more challenging than a simple mantra.
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There was a study published last year that demonstrated that only 23% of parents in the Gaeiltocht are raising their children through Irish. Irish outside the Gaeiltocht thankfully seems to be increasing, but there can be no real revival of the Irish language without its native speakers. A crucial part of that is the education system and treating Irish as a living language instead of a subject that just needs to be passed for exams. So, two questions, Taoiseach. One, will you commit the Government to supporting the Gaeiltocht for All campaign and commit the Department of Education to begin an immediate consultation process to formulate the policy for Irish in the education system all the way through education? Secondly, according to the information received by Conor and Gaeiltocht under FOI, the State Examinations Commission itself has expressed great concern about the decision to move Paper 1 of the Irish Leaving Cert to 5th year and the grave consequences that that would have for students' education, particularly for male students. Will the Government reverse that decision? Deputy Mayor Murphy raised the issue of the Gaeiltocht. I think we have to proceed with care on this and perhaps a greater degree of deeper analysis. I know that, at the moment, I've received a report on this and the people who have been crammed into the Gaeiltocht. I've had so much trouble right after saying, however, that's what I was saying. However, is it, I think it has some people who have a few thoughts in writing about this and what I think is. Although I think it's kind of, what I all have for students. It's a little bit and I'm not interested in writing about how it's been. or in New York, or in New York, or in New York, that's where I'm going. I think there's a lot of time during the school and the Gaeltech and there's a lot of time during the school, and there's a lot of time at the Gaeleon, and I think I'm going to bring the money to a family, you know, but because I'm going to bring it to Gaeleon, It's sort of odd, it's not the same thing. Sometimes I have to listen to the group Aig Sula, and I have to say, in terms of Irish for everybody and Geilge for all. It's much more challenging and complex than just a simple mantra.
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