The Minister for Education has been asked to consider a three-week mandatory Gaeltacht course for every Leaving Certificate student studying Irish.
The initiative was proposed by Fianna Fáil TD Ryan O’Meara yesterday to tackle the lack of Irish fluency in young people.
Deputy O’Meara from Tipperary said there is an “inability of so many Irish people to converse in our national language on leaving secondary school after 14 years of education”.
“This is obviously something a lot of people talk about but I am concerned about whether we are actually addressing it and enhancing the ability of all of us to communicate as Gaeilge,” Deputy O’Meara told the Dáil.
Education Minister Helen McEntee said there are no plans to make attendance at a Gaeltacht summer course mandatory.
“My Department is mindful that we need a flexible approach to giving students opportunities for immersive experiences in the Irish language outside of school,” said Minister McEntee.
“These must take into account the needs, preferences and geographical location of students. As someone who attended Gaeltacht courses numerous times when I was younger, I see the many benefits they have for our young people. I support the provision of activities through Irish outside school hours.”
There are a large number of Gaeltacht summer schools across Donegal including Glencolmcille, Arranmore Island and Gaoth Dobhair.
The Minister for Education is set to release and implement an action plan aimed at improving the teaching and learning of Irish in English-medium schools.
The Department is also working with various organisations to encourage and facilitate the use of Irish by children and young people outside of school.
“We are particularly focusing on making it fun and enjoyable and ensuring it does not feel like a challenge, as it is for many children in school,” the Minister said.
