ETBI Journal of Education - Vol 2:2 November 2020 (Irish-medium Education)

ETBI Journal of Education November 2020
The delivery of Irish-medium education in
schools can sometimes be challenging due to
a number of factors including the individual
socio-linguistic contexts of schools and issues
relating to the supply of teachers who are
proficient speakers of the language.
In 2016, the Department of Education
published its Policy on Gaeltacht Education
2017-2022, to ensure the provision of high
quality Irish-medium education in early-years
settings and schools in Gaeltacht areas and to
support the use of Irish as the main language
of Gaeltacht communities.
Significant investment has been made by my
Department to support the implementation of
Irish-medium initiatives under the Gaeltacht
Policy. Nineteen post-primary schools and
one primary school are under the auspices
of ETBs and these schools are in receipt of
additional resources annually to support
their participation in the Gaeltacht School
Recognition Scheme. Five island post-primary
schools, also under the auspices of ETBs, are
in receipt of a dedicated annual package of
additional resources since 2018 in recognition
of their unique context. The commencement
of two new Irish-medium teacher education
programmes providing up to 60 new places
annually is seeking to ensure a supply of
teachers who can deliver high quality Irishmedium
education.
A number of positive curricular developments
relating to Irish-medium education include
the publication of the new Primary Language
Curriculum in 2015 and the introduction of
two new specifications for Junior Cycle Irish
in 2017. The new subject specifications for
Leaving Certificate Irish which are being
developed by the National Council for
Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) will build
on those already provided in Junior Cycle.
These developments are all underpinned by
my Department’s strategies and Government
policies including the 20-Year Strategy for the
Irish Language and the Policy on Gaeltacht
Education.
It is particularly important in these
challenging times to celebrate our heritage,
language and culture and to take pride in
our unique Irish identity. I am pleased to
see an article featured in this special edition
highlighting the many successes of targeted
interventions as part of the Gaeltacht School
Recognition Scheme and Policy on Gaeltacht
Education.
I would like to congratulate ETBI on this
proactive and innovative contribution to
promoting the Irish language and Irishmedium
education in the ETB sector. This
special Irish-language edition of the ETBI
Journal of Education will act as a valuable
information resource on many aspects of
Irish-medium education. I have no doubt that
the staff and students in ETB schools will also
thoroughly enjoy the programme of engaging
events planned for ETBI Bliain na Gaeilge
2020/21, a very welcome programme amidst
what so far has been a very challenging year.
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