Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 3 June 2004
45 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the findings from a review of the language assistants scheme; the changes that will result in the scheme in 2004/2005 as a result of this review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16668/04]
View answerThe scheme referred to in the Deputy's question, Scéim na gCúntóirí Teanga, was established on a pilot basis for a three year period in 1999. It was specifically targeted at students with little or no knowledge of Irish who were moving into Gaeltacht areas. The objective was to bring such students to a standard whereby they would be able to follow the curriculum in Gaeltacht schools and to converse with other students through Irish. Local native speakers were recruited for the purposes of the scheme and my Department provided grant assistance to the organisations administering the scheme at local level in the various Gaeltacht regions.
An independent review of the scheme was carried out in 2003. Following discussions with the Department of Education and Science, a working group comprising representatives of both Departments and the local organisations was established to study the recommendations of the report. I have now examined the findings of the working group and have approved the changes necessary to establish the scheme on a permanent basis and to help ensure that it can operate more effectively in the future.
The revised scheme is scheduled to commence from the beginning of the next school year. A copy of the review and the guidelines pertaining to the new scheme have already been forwarded to the Deputy for his information.
