asked the Minister for Education whether he has received a resolution passed at a public meeting held in Woodford, County Galway, on the 25th February, 1958, and attended by parents of children who attend the national schools in the parishes of Woodford, Abbey and Ballinakill, County Galway and, if so, if he will state its terms and what reply he has sent.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Galway Parents' Resolution.
I have received a resolution from Woodford which is over the signature of two persons and reads as follows:—
"That we, parents of children attending national schools in the parishes of Woodford, Abbey and Ballinakill, protest against the excessive amount of time spent at the teaching of the Irish language and in the teaching of other subjects through Irish, in those schools.
We hereby call on you, the Minister for Education, to change the present system and have the teaching of Irish limited to half an hour during each school day. We further call on you to direct that no Irish be taught to our children until they reach third standard in school."
As the document forwarded to me in connection with the resolution did not contain the address of the signatories or any evidence that the signatories represented anyone other than themselves I have not replied to it.
Is the Minister aware that this meeting was called by the parents of the children and was not instigated by teachers or anyone else actuated by any profit motive concerning the teaching of Irish and would he ensure that this commission which he proposes to set up——
That is an entirely different matter.
Would he ensure that the views of the ordinary parents would be taken into account?
The Deputy is trying to deal with matters that are not contained in the question.
I am entitled to suggest that the views of the parents should be taken into account by this commission.
That does not arise on the question on the Order Paper.
Is the Minister aware that this meeting was not in the nature of a representative meeting and that the views of the majority of the people were not represented by those who were at it?
On the face of the document submitted to me it appears that there were only two people in attendance.
Is the Minister aware that there were upwards of 30 people present at that meeting and that these two people acted in the capacity of secretaries in presenting the resolution?
There may have been 30 people present but 30 parents would represent only a small percentage of the parents in the area.