‘Stop failing our children’ by recognising right to education in Irish – Masterson TD

Sinn Féin’s Cllr Masterson has called on TDs in Offaly to support Sinn Féin’s call on the government to stop denying children’s right to learn Irish and study through Irish.

Cllr Masterson was speaking ahead of this week’s debate on Sinn Féin’s Dáil motion to guarantee the right to education in Irish for all, brought forward by party spokesperson for Gaeilge, Gaeltacht and the Arts, Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD.

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.

“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 spokesperson for Gaeilge, Gaeltacht and the Arts, Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD, is using the party’s Private Members Business this 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," Cllr Masterson said.