Vol. 529 No. 1
1123 Mr. Farrelly asked the Minister for Education and Science if he has received the proposals from the GAA blueprint for the promotion of Irish in co-operation with Irish language organisations; the steps he will take in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30429/00]
I strongly endorse the Gaelic Athletic Association's aim to conserve and promote the Irish language and culture. I know that, since its foundation, the association has done excellent work in order to sustain Irish people's awareness of and love for our heritage. I welcome in particular the emphasis in the Association's Plean Gaeilge na Mílaoise/Plan for the Irish Language in the New Millennium on the place of Irish in the community and on its value in the context of the rich and diverse European heritage. Education has played a major role in ensuring that a significant number of people in the country can and do speak Irish and are positively disposed towards the language. The Education Act, 1998, sets out the duties of schools, and of the education system generally, in relation to facilitating and extending the use of Irish at school and in the community, and to the promotion and development of Irish culture. A number of recent initiatives, such as the transition year, the leaving certificate vocational programme, the leaving certificate applied and the school development planning initiative have led to the development of productive partnerships between schools and the communities that they serve. Thus, schools subject to the priorities established by their boards of management, are in a good position to engage in the type of partnership approach envisaged in the association's plan. The White Paper on Adult Education contains a number of proposals to provide for the needs of adults in relation to Irish. There is provision for a partnership approach involving Irish language bodies, adult education interests, Údarás na Gaeltachta, vocational education committees and area partnerships in Gaeltacht areas. An Irish language officer will be appointed to the National Adult Learning Council when that body has been established.
