Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister:
“While the media have focused on the comments in the Assembly chamber yesterday, real issues relating to the Irish language were revealed this morning in the Education Department’s response to recommendations on the development of Irish-medium post-primary education.
“While data on the demand for Irish medium secondary education is conspicuous by its absence O’Dowd has committed his Department to “proactively encourage and facilitate” it.
“Among the plans outlined by O’Dowd are:
- All education policy proposals will be subject to “language proofing”;
- A lower intake rate will be set for post-primary Irish language schools;
- The Department will look at the need for “cross border post primary provision for Irish medium primary children in Fermanagh”;
- Bursaries should be offered to teachers willing to undergo conversion courses and move from English medium schools to Irish medium education;
- Incentives should be provided to all schools which encourage and provide GCSE and A-Level Irish by way of a pupil bursary or school fund to expand scholarships;
- A joint North-South approach on the provision and funding of teaching training for post primary Irish medium education and
- The funding of a post of Principal up to a year in advance of the opening of a post primary Irish medium school.
“These proposals are grossly unfair to non-Irish medium secondary and grammar schools as they create an uneven playing field.
“Added to this, where are the proposed bursaries for teachers with an ability to teach French or German? In November 2012 the British Council warned that Northern Ireland was “a long way from being self-sufficient in producing linguists in languages likely to be needed” by its businesses. Researchers found that “Northern Ireland has a weak profile as regards foreign language learning and now needs to give this a much higher priority at all levels in the education system.”. Surely the Education Minister would be much better in seeking to address this issue rather than pushing a dead language for his own narrow political ends?”
Note to editors
The British Council report is online here http://www.language-rich.eu/home/country-profiles/profiles-overview/uk-northern-ireland.html