It should have perhaps been expected that when an Irish and English language college amalgamated in An Daingean (Dingle) and the School Board decided that the new college should be an Irish medium one, the Irish Education Minister, Mary Hanafin, would protest in some way.

Hanafin has come under attack recently by the League and other groups in Éire, for her proposal that all Irish language immersion primary schools should also teach the English language on a daily basis, thereby effectively killing off the immersion programme.

In this new development, Hanafin's department attempted to access the details on the 470 students at the amalgamated Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne to carry out a survey aiming to find out the views of students and parents towards the new schools' Irish language education policy.

When the College refused to supply the information, feeling that it would be in breach of data protection laws, Hanafin announced that she would invite parents to write to her department and request the survey themselves.

An Daingean, is the main town serving the West Kerry Gaeltacht and although it is just on the edge of the Gaeltacht it is nevertheless within the official Gaeltacht boundaries. The Celtic League believe therefore that it is only right that the new college should be an Irish medium one and are supportive of the School Board, which has remained adamant in its policy of pursuing Irish medium education. Some parents however have complained about the move and have argued that exceptions should be made for students whose Irish language skills are not at a sufficiently high standard.

The constant attacks that Minister Mary Hanafin has made on the use of the Irish language in Education over the last six months contrasts sharply with her counterpart north of the boarder. In the North of Ireland Education Minister, Catríona Ruane, continues to support Irish language education and even attended the Gaelscoileanna conference dinner as keynote speaker at its recent conference.

(Article prepared for Celtic News by Rhisiart Tal-e-bot)

J B Moffatt Director of Information Celtic League

31/12/07

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