asked the Minister for Education whether, in connection with any part of the work of his Department and in any part of the country, an investigation has been carried out, during the last ten years, into the position of the Irish language and its use as a vernacular; and if so, whether he will take steps to make the result of these investigations available to members of the Oireachtas.
Written Answers. - Irish as a Vernacular.
No general investigation into the position of the Irish language and its use as a vernacular has been made by my Department during the past ten years. In connection, however, with the payment of the £5 (formerly £2) bonus to parents in Irish-speaking districts, inquiries to such extent as is deemed necessary, are made each year by the Department's inspectors into the position of Irish in the area of each school in the Gaeltacht and Breac-Ghaeltacht in which there are claimants for the bonus. The number of children in each county, in respect of whom this bonus is awarded, is published in the Department's annual reports.
The position of Irish in a school district is specially investigated for the purpose of adding the name of the school to the list of Fíor-Ghaeltacht schools under Rule 121 (1) of the Department's Code. A special investigation is also carried out, where the circumstances appear to require it, in connection with the removal of a school from the list.
It would be a lengthy task to furnish detailed results of the various investigations that have been made during the past ten years in the numerous school districts concerned, but if any Deputy requires information in regard to a particular school district or districts, I will try to arrange to give him particular for the area in question.