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Iniúchtaí Sheirbhísí Cúram Leanaí

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 February 2019

Wednesday, 13 February 2019

Ceisteanna (191)

Aindrias Moynihan

Ceist:

191. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Aindrias Moynihan den Aire Leanaí agus Gnóthaí Óige an líon cigirí atá ar fáil chun cigireacht a dhéanamh ar naíonraí agus aonaid éagsúla luathbhlianta atá ag feidhmiú trí Ghaolinn taobh istigh is taobh amuigh den Ghaeltacht; agus an ndéantar an cigireacht trí Ghaolinn. [7044/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I am conscious of the role early learning and care services play in promoting Irish as a living language and how this helps children to develop proficiency in the Irish language.

My Department has participated proactively with colleagues in the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in agreeing a comprehensive set of early learning and care actions to be implemented under the Action Plan for the Irish Language 2018 to 2022.

Inspections of early learning and care services are carried out by two Inspectorates. The first is located in Tusla and the second in the Department of Education and Skills.

Tusla’s Early Years Inspectorate seeks to provide a high standard of service through the medium of Irish and is committed to supporting early learning and care services where Irish is spoken. At present, Tusla has one inspector with high level proficiency in the Irish language. This inspector carried out 17 inspections through the medium of Irish in 2018.

There are a number of inspectors with conversational Irish who engage with the providers outside and inside the Gaeltacht at an informal level through Irish. The Tusla Inspectorate is currently engaged in recruiting a further specific Irish language inspector with expert proficiency in both oral and written Irish.

With regard to the Early Years Inspectorate of the Department of Education and Skills, of the current total inspection team of 20 (Whole-time Equivalent) inspectors, seven have strong capacity to engage in Early Years Education Inspection fully through Irish, including the writing of inspection reports, providing feedback for continuous improvement and responding in Irish to issues raised by personnel in the early years services.

In addition, the Inspectorate deploys primary inspectors, who have special expertise in early years education, in the quality assurance of reports that are prepared for publication in Irish.

The DES Inspectorate also has an active continuing professional development (CPD) programme to build the capacity of the wider Early Years Inspection team which includes Early Years and Primary Inspectors.

Tuigim an ról atá ag seirbhísí luathfhoghlama agus cúraim chun an Ghaeilge mar theanga bheo a chur chun cinn, agus tuigim an chaoi a gcuidíonn sé sin le leanaí chun feabhas a chur ar a gcuid Gaeilge.

D'oibrigh mo Roinn le comhghleacaí sa Roinn Cultúir, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta chun sraith chuimsitheach gníomhartha maidir le luathfhoghlaim agus cúram a aontú. Déanfar na gníomhartha sin a chur i bhfeidhm faoin bPlean Gníomhaíochta don Ghaeilge 2018-2022.

Tá dhá Fhoireann Cigireachta ann chun iniúchadh a dhéanamh ar sheirbhísí luathfhoghlama agus cúraim. Tá ceann amháin in Tusla agus an ceann eile sa Roinn Oideachais agus Scileanna.

Tá Foireann Cigireachta na Luathbhlianta in Tusla ag iarraidh seirbhís ar ardchaighdeán trí mheán na Gaeilge a chur ar fáil agus tá siad tiomanta do sheirbhísí luathfhoghlama agus cúraim ina labhraítear an Ghaeilge a thacú. Faoi láthair, tá cigire amháin ag Tusla a bhfuil leibhéal ard inniúlachta sa Ghaeilge aige. Rinne an cigire sin 17 gcigireacht trí mheán na Gaeilge in 2018.

Tá roinnt cigirí ann atá ábalta comhrá a bheith acu i nGaeilge agus téann siad i dteagmháil le soláthróirí laistigh agus lasmuigh den Ghaeltacht trí mheán na Gaeilge ag leibhéal neamhfhoirmiúil. Tá cigire Gaeilge eile á earcú ag an bhFoireann Cigireachta in Tusla faoi láthair. Beidh leibhéal ard inniúlachta ag an duine sin i scríobh agus i labhairt na Gaeilge.

Maidir le Foireann Cigireachta na Luathbhlianta sa Roinn Oideachais agus Scileanna, tá 20 duine (Coibhéis Lánaimseartha) ar fhoireann na gcigirí ina iomlán faoi láthair, agus tá Gaeilge láidir ag seachtar acu. Tá siadsan in ann Cigireacht Oideachas na Luathbhlianta a dhéanamh go hiomlán trí Ghaeilge; an méid seo a leanas san áireamh: na tuairiscí cigireachta a scríobh, aiseolas le haghaidh dul chun cinn leanúnach a chur ar fáil agus freagra i nGaeilge a chur ar fáil nuair atá ceist ag ball foirne de chuid na seirbhísí luathbhlianta.

Chomh maith leis sin, baineann an Fhoireann Cigireachta úsáid as cigirí bunoideachais, a bhfuil saineolas acu in oideachas na luathbhlianta, chun dearbhú cáilíochta a dhéanamh ar thuairiscí atá le foilsiú i nGaeilge.

Tá clár gníomhach ag Foireann Cigireachta na Roinne Oideachais agus Scileanna a bhaineann le forbairt ghairmiúil leanúnach (nó CPD) chun forbairt a dhéanamh ar an acmhainn atá ag an bhfoireann leathan a phléann le Cigireacht na Luathbhlianta. Cuimsíonn sin Cigirí Bunoideachais agus Cigirí na Luathbhlianta.

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