Cabinet Committees
Dail Éireann — 2026-02-10
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Micheál Martin (FF), Cork South-Central

----- nach bhfuil Gaelcholáiste dara leibhéal i dTiobraid Árann. B’fhéidir go mbeidh seans againn teagmháil a dhéanamh leis an ETB chun clár de shaghas éigin a chur i bhfeidhm ionas go mbeidh, diaidh ar ndiaidh, Gaelcholáiste againn. De ghnáth, tá Gaelcholáiste i mbeagnach gach aon chontae anois. There are Gaelcholáistí in most areas now. There is at least one in many counties across the country, so I am surprised. Perhaps the ETB might be in a position to work with the Department or with local interests and schools, particularly the Gaelscoileanna, to see if consensus can be arrived at in respect of a Gaelcholáiste that would be centrally located and could be availed of by those who want to pursue second level through the medium of Irish.
Beidh mise sásta tacú a thabairt le tioscnamh den chineál sin.
On Deputy John Connolly's issue, the national therapy service is commencing. We want to roll it out to the remainder of the special schools. That is important. It is a significant development. We made this a red-line issue in the most recent general election. I agree 100% on the developmental language disorders. I brought in the first of those classes back in the late 1990s. They are game-changers in how they can facilitate children to deal with language challenges at an early age in order that they can transition back into mainstream education. It is one of the better outcomes I have seen with children down through the years. I will talk to the Minister of State with responsibility for special education in relation to that.
Deputy Dempsey referred to cost of childcare. We can do more and we have to do more to meet the commitment in the programme for Government. In the forthcoming budget, we will examine that issue to see what more we can do. We hope to have earlier discussions with Deputies on the next budget. We are conscious that the European Presidency is coming our way, so we need to talk about these things a bit earlier than usual.
I will pursue the issue Deputy McGreehan raised in respect of unallocated social workers for children in the Louth-Meath area with Tusla. The Deputy stated that the situation there is out of kilter with the rest of the country in the context of the numbers that remain unallocated. That is a concern. At some stage, we need to look at how people are deployed as well. Numbers generally seem to be increasing and caseloads are increasing. That is across a range of professional service engagement.
Maidir leis an Teachta Crowe agus Gaelscoil Mhíchíl Ciosóg, beidh me ag caint leis an Aire faoi thionscadail tógála sa Roinn. I will talk to the Minister about school buildings. We have a lot of challenges.
Deputy Ó Murchú also referred to social workers. We have had a lot of cases. I fully take on board what the Deputy is saying. We need to look at allocating more social workers and at the best way to deploy them.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-02-10/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:36+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-02-10