Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 December 2018
6. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Leanaí agus Gnóthaí Óige cén fáth nach bhfuil an eagraíocht a dhéanann freastal agus comhordú ar na naíonraí atá ag feidhmiú trí Ghaeilge taobh amuigh den Ghaeltacht agus a thugann bun-tacaíochtaí dóibh ag fáil bun-mhaoiniú óna Roinn; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [52227/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraIs maith atá a fhios agam faoin luach a bhaineann le tacaíocht a thabhairt do sholáthar seirbhísí sa Ghaeilge do leanaí óga, agus an ról a bhaineann leis an tacaíocht seo chun cumas sa Ghaeilge a chothú agus chun an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn mar theanga bheo. Mar sin, tá baill ó dhá eagraíocht Ghaeilge i bhFóram na Luathbhlianta, agus mise i mo chathaoirleach ann.
Cé nach dtugann mo Roinn maoiniú tiomnaithe d’aon ghrúpaí Gaeilge ar leith faoi láthair, tacaíonn sí leis an nGaeilge i go leor bealaí eile agus tá sí tiomanta do roinnt gníomhartha suntasacha sa Phlean Gníomhaíochta don Ghaeilge 2018-2022. Tá sé mar aidhm ag na gníomhartha seo ná cur le agus feabhas a dhéanamh ar na bearta, tacaíochtaí agus comhpháirtíochtaí atá ann cheana agus a chuirtear ar fáil trí, mar shampla, Tús Níos Fearr, tríd an Chigireacht Luathbhlianta ag TUSLA, agus trí na Coistí Contae agus Cathrach i gCúram Leanaí.
Tá mo Roinn chun dhá phost a cheapadh atá tiomnaithe do chomhardú a dhéanamh ar thacaíochtaí Gaeilge in earnáil na luathbhlianta, agus beidh an gníomh seo barrthábhachtach. Tá mo Roinn ag obair ar sonraíochtaí na poist seo le comhghleacaithe sa Roinn Cultúir, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta, d'fhonn earcaíocht in 2019.
San iomlán, tugann mo Roinn maoiniú do 228 seirbhís a thugann siad Naíonraí orthu iad féin, laistigh agus lasmuigh de na ceantair Ghaeltachta araon. Gach rud san áireamh, cuireadh maoiniú €16m ar fáil do na seirbhísí sin le ceithre bliana anuas agus tá na tacaíochtaí go léir a sholáthraíonn mo Roinn ar fáil do gach uile sheirbhís luathbhlianta agus naíonra, laistigh agus lasmuigh den Ghaeltacht araon.
Amach anseo, beidh mé ag coimisiúnú athbhreithniú neamhspleách maidir leis na struchtúir in earnáil na Luathbhlianta go luath. Cé nach féidir liom teacht roimh aon cheann de thorthaí an athbhreithnithe, tá súil agam go mbeadh sé ríthábhachtach go mbeidh próiseas plé ann le gach ceann de ghrúpaí páirtithe leasmhara na luathbhlianta, eagraíochtaí Gaeilge ar nós an chinn a luaigh an Teachta san áireamh.
I am very aware of the value of supporting the provision of services in the Irish language to children at an early age, and of the role this can play in fostering Irish language proficiency and promoting Irish as a living language. As such, the Early Years Forum which I chair, includes membership from two Irish language organisations.
While my Department does not currently provide dedicated funding to any specific Irish language groups, it does support Irish in many other ways and has committed to a number of significant actions within the Action Plan for the Irish Language 2018-2022. These actions aim to build and improve on existing measures, supports and partnerships that are provided through, for example, Better Start, the Tusla Early Years Inspectorate and local City and Country Childcare Committees.
Key among these actions will be the appointment of two dedicated posts to co-ordinate Irish language supports in early years. My Department is currently working on specifying these posts with colleagues in the Department of Culture Heritage and the Gaeltacht, with a view to recruitment in 2019.
In all, my Department funds some 228 services which identify themselves as Naíonraí, both within and outside the Gaeltacht areas. Total funding of some €16m was provided to such services over the past four years and the many supports which are available from my Department are offered to all early years services and naíonraí, both inside and outside the Gaeltacht.
Looking to the future, I will shortly be commissioning an independent review of structures that support the Early Years Sector. While I cannot pre-empt any of the findings of any such review, I would expect that a key component will be a process of engagement with all of the early years stakeholder groups, including Irish language organisations such as that referred to by the Deputy.
