Tá éilithe ag ionadaithe Shinn Féin Karen Mullan MLA agus an Seanadóir Niall Ó Donghaile go dtabharfaidh an tAire Peter Weir súil ar na pacáistí acmhainní a d’fhoilsigh an tÚdarás Oideachais trí mheán aon teanga déag éagsúla, seachas an Ghaeilge, agus réiteach a fháil. 

Ag labhairt di inniu dúirt Karen Mullan;

“Scríobh mé chuig an Aire aréir ag iarraidh cruinniú práinneach leis an fhaillí mhillteanach seo a phlé. Le linn na tréimhse seo tá tábhacht agus úsáid ar leith ag baint le hacmhainní oideachias, mar sin, tá sé dochreidte go bhfoilseodh an tÚdarás Oideachais na hacmhainní seo gan an Ghaeilge san áireamh.

“Ábhar misnigh is ea an fháilte a chuireann an Roinn roimh an ilteangachas, ba chóir an ceart a bheith ag achan tuismitheoir a bheith cinnte de go bhfuiltear ag freastal ar riachtanais oideachais agus teangeolaíochta a gcuid páistí; ní mór a lua go bhfuil páistí den uile chineál cúlra mionlach idir theanga agus eitneacht a fhaigheann a gcuid oideachais trí mheán na Gaeilge.

Dúirt an Seanadóir Ó Donnghaile;

“Tá dualgas reachtúil ar an Roinn Oideachais an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn agus tá dualgas ar an Aire a chinntiú go bhfuil riachtanais oideachais achan páiste comhlíonta. Ní ghlacfaidh an pobal le haon chéim siar a dhéanfaidh pobal na Gaeilge a imeallú agus a ísliú.

“Faoi láthair tá os cionn 7000 páiste ag fáil a gcuid oideachais trí mheán na Gaeilge agus tá siad i dteideal acmhainní agus tacaíochta ar chomhchéim le haon phobal nó teanga eile.

“Ní mór don Aire agus a Roinn a gcuid dualgas reachtúil a chomhlíonadh.”

Sinn Féin representatives Karen Mullan MLA and Senator Niall Ó Donnghaile have called on Minister Peter Weir to address and rectify the exclusion of the Irish language from Education Authority education resource packs which are available in eleven other languages.

Speaking today Ms. Mullan said:

“I have written to the Minister seeking an urgent meeting to discuss how this overt failure was allowed to take place. 

“At a time when educational resources are of massive importance and use, it beggars belief that the Education Authority would publish these resources and not include the Irish language. 

“Multilingualism within the department is welcome and encouraging, every parent should have the right to know that the linguistic and educational needs of their children are being met; there are of course many children from minority ethnic and language backgrounds who are also being educated through Irish Medium Education.”

Seanadóir Ó Donnghaile said:

“The department of education has a statutory obligation to promote the Irish language. The Minister also has an obligation to ensure that the educational needs of our children are met. 

“The community will not tolerate any steps back which disrespects or disregards the Irish language and those who speak it.

 “Over 7,000 children are currently going through Irish Medium Education in the north and are as worthy of resourcing and supporting as those within any other sector or language. 

“The Minister and his department must live up to their statutory responsibility.”