asked the Minister for Education if he will arrange for a revision of the Gaeltacht areas so as to include some Breac-Ghaeltacht areas which have now become Fíor-Ghaeltacht.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Gaeltacht Areas.
Under the rules and regulations for national schools it is necessary that three conditions be fulfilled before a school may be scheduled as being situated in the Fíor-Ghaeltacht, viz.,
(1) that it be situated in a district where Irish is generally spoken as the language of the homes;
(2) that a considerable proportion of the children coming to school for the first time know Irish only or know Irish better than English; and
(3) that instruction in the various subjects of the school programme (other than English) be given entirely through the medium of Irish.
There is a number of cases of schools in which it seems possible from the results of the £5 grant investigations in recent years that the three conditions to which I have referred above may be fulfilled. It is proposed to have these cases further investigated so as to establish whether the schools in question may, in accordance with the rules, be scheduled as being in the Fíor-Ghaeltacht.
Do I take it that the only examination to inquire whether a district complies with these three rules or regulations is the examination by the deontas inspector when he visits an area once a year?
That is probably true except in the case where local representations are made and then a special investigation is made.
Is it not possible to have special investigations in all Breac-Ghaeltacht areas to see if they would now qualify as a Fíor-Ghaeltacht area?
Investigations are being made now.
Thanks.