Organisations including Feachtas Thamhlachta, Ógras and Aisteoirí Thamhlachta, demonstrate how Irish-medium education creates thriving cultural, social and community networks
D’éirigh leis an nGaeilge in ainneoin an Stáit, ní mar gheall air
Is ábhar mór imní é nach ndírítear ach 0.17% den chaiteachas reatha stáit ar an nGaeilge agus ar an nGaeltacht, reports .
I bhfianaise na hinfheistíochta chomh teoranta sin, is beag nach míorúilt é go bhfuil an Ghaeilge chomh láidir agus atá sí inniu, tar éis blianta fada de neamhshuim agus de fhaillí oifigiúil.
Léirítear an patrún céanna i réimse an tumoideachais.
Faoi láthair, ní fhaigheann ach thart ar 6% de dhaltaí bunscoile agus 3% de dhaltaí iar-bhunscoile a gcuid oideachais trí mheán na Gaeilge. Mar sin féin, léiríonn an taighde go soiléir go bhfuil i bhfad níos mó éilimh ar an tumoideachas ná mar atá soláthar ann.
De réir taighde a rinne an ESRI le déanaí, roghnódh 23% de thuismitheoirí Gaelscoil dá mbeadh ceann ar fáil ina gceantar, agus léiríonn suirbhéanna eile go bhféadfadh an figiúr sin bheith chomh hard le 26%.
In ainneoin an éilimh shoiléir seo, tá sé ráite ag an Roinn Oideachais nach bhfuil sé i gceist aici aon scoileanna lán-Ghaeilge nua a bhunú sa tréimhse 2026–2031.
Tráth a bhfuil níos mó teaghlach ná riamh ag iarraidh teacht ar oideachas lán-Ghaeilge, is deis mhór caillte í seo.
Ní de thoradh bheartas leanúnach an Stáit a tháinig forbairt na Gaelscolaíochta ó lár na seachtóidí ar aghaidh.
Is iad tuismitheoirí agus pobail áitiúla a chuir an ghluaiseacht chun cinn lena bhfís, lena ndúthracht agus lena gcuid oibre deonaí.
Bhunaigh siad Gaelscoileanna agus d’fhorbair siad iad, go minic in ainneoin drogall an Stáit seachas lena thacaíocht.
Tá ceann de na scéalta ratha is suntasaí i gcóras oideachais na hÉireann tagtha chun cinn ón bpobal féin.
Léiríonn ceantar Thamhlachta an méid is féidir a bhaint amach nuair a chuirtear deis ar fáil don tumoideachas fás.
Tá trí Ghaelscoil bhunscoile sa cheantar inniu, Scoil Santain, Scoil Chaitlín Maude agus Gaelscoil na Giúise, mar aon le Coláiste de hÍde.
Mar thoradh díreach ar obair na scoileanna sin, tá Gaeilge líofa ag na mílte duine sa cheantar agus tá Pobal na Gaeilge bríomhar, féinmhuiníneach agus féinchothaitheach tagtha chun cinn.
Ní sna scoileanna amháin a fheictear an rath sin. Léiríonn Aon Scéal? Café, Amharclann an Sciobóil, Feachtas Thamhlachta, Ógras agus Aisteoirí Thamhlachta go bhfuil saol sóisialta agus cultúrtha faoi bhláth mar thoradh ar an tumoideachas.
Ní tionscadail scoite iad seo ach toradh nádúrtha ar na blianta fada d’obair na dtuismitheoirí, na múinteoirí agus na n-oibrithe deonacha a chreid sa Ghaeilge.
Ní cás ar leith é Tamhlacht. Ar fud na tíre, tá sé léirithe ag an nGaelscolaíocht go gcruthaíonn sí saoránaigh dhátheangacha, féinmhuiníneacha agus go gcuireann sí go mór le saol cultúrtha agus pobail na háite.
Tá an fhianaise ann: nuair a chuirtear an deis ar fáil, glacann daoine léi.
Léiríodh an méid sin go soiléir ag SEAS26, Lá Abhcóideachta Gaeilge agus Gaeltachta Chonradh na Gaeilge, áit ar tháinig breis agus seasca Teachta Dála agus Seanadóir le chéile le hionadaithe pobail chun todhchaí na Gaeilge agus na Gaeltachta a phlé.
I measc na bpríomhéileamh bhí €57.7 milliún breise don Ghaeilge agus don Ghaeltacht i mBuiséad 2027 agus gealltanas go méadófaí caiteachas an Stáit ar an nGaeilge ó 0.17% go 0.4% thar na cúig bliana amach romhainn.
Bhí na moltaí maidir leis an tumoideachas chomh tábhachtach céanna. Tá feachtas IMEASC ag éileamh reachtaíochta a chuirfeadh oideachas lán-Ghaeilge ar bhonn reachtúil agus a mhéadódh líon na ndaltaí sa tumoideachas ó 6% go 20% faoi 2050.
Don chéad uair ó bunaíodh an Stát, chuirfeadh reachtaíocht dá leithéid creat cuimsitheach agus inbhuanaithe ar fáil d’fhorbairt an tumoideachais ar fud na tíre.
Ní héilimh mhíréadúla ná áibhéalacha iad seo.
Is freagairt phraiticiúil iad ar éileamh atá cruthaithe arís agus arís eile.
Gach bliain, cuirtear teaghlaigh ar liostaí feithimh mar nach bhfuil dóthain áiteanna ná dóthain scoileanna lán-Ghaeilge ann.
In áit pleanáil don fhás, tá an Stát tar éis an status quo a roghnú.
Cruthaíonn taithí Thamhlachta agus pobail eile gur féidir leis an tumoideachas saoránaigh dhátheangacha a chothú, pobail a neartú agus saol cultúrtha bríomhar a fhorbairt.
Tá sé ar cheann de na huirlisí pleanála teanga is éifeachtaí atá ar fáil dúinn.
Dá léireodh an Stát an tiomantas céanna agus atá léirithe ag tuismitheoirí, ag múinteoirí agus ag pobail áitiúla le leathchéad bliain anuas, trí leathnú a dhéanamh ar an tumoideachas, infheistíocht cheart a dhéanamh sa bhonneagar Gaeilge agus tacú leis na moltaí atá á gcur chun cinn ag Conradh na Gaeilge agus ag feachtas IMEASC, ní bheadh aon amhras ann ach go mbeadh borradh faoi úsáid na Gaeilge.
Ní aisling í Éire dhátheangach. Is sprioc réadúil agus insroichte í. Ní hí an cheist an bhfuil an toil phoiblí ann; léiríonn an fhianaise go bhfuil. Is í an cheist ná an bhfuil an Stát sásta an uaillmhian sin a mheaitseáil faoi dheireadh.
The experience of communities like Tallaght demonstrates what sustained investment can achieve
It is deeply concerning that overall State expenditure on the Irish language amounts to just 0.17% of public spending.
Given such limited investment, it is remarkable that the language remains as resilient as it is after decades of neglect and indifference.
The same pattern is evident in Irish-medium education.
Currently, only around 6% of primary school pupils and 3% of secondary school students are educated through the medium of Irish.
Yet research consistently indicates that demand is far greater than the provision available.
Recent ESRI research found that 23% of parents would choose a Gaelscoil if one were available nearby, while other surveys suggest that figure could be as high as 26%.
Despite this clear demand, the Department of Education has stated that it has no plans to establish new Irish-medium schools during the 2026–2031 period.
At a time when more families than ever wish to access Irish-medium education, this represents a significant missed opportunity.
The extraordinary growth of Gaelscolaíocht since the mid-to-late 1970s has not been the result of sustained Government policy.
Rather, it has been achieved through the vision, determination and persistence of parents and local communities who established Gaelscoileanna themselves, often in spite of official reluctance rather than as a result of State support.
One of the greatest educational success stories in modern Ireland has been driven from the ground up.
The Tallaght area illustrates what can be achieved when Irish-medium education is allowed to develop.
Today it is home to three primary Gaelscoileanna, Scoil Santain, Scoil Chaitlín Maude and Gaelscoil na Giúise, as well as the secondary school. Coláiste de hÍde.
As a direct consequence of these schools, thousands of people in the area have developed a strong command of Irish, giving rise to a vibrant and self-sustaining Pobal na Gaeilge.
That vitality extends far beyond the classroom. Initiatives such as ‘Aon Scéal?’ Café, ‘An Sciobóil’ theatre, together with organisations including Feachtas Thamhlachta, Ógras and Aisteoirí Thamhlachta, demonstrate how Irish-medium education creates thriving cultural, social and community networks.
The success of Tallaght is not unique.
Across Ireland, Gaelscoileanna have repeatedly demonstrated that Irish-medium education produces confident bilingual speakers while enriching the cultural life of their communities.
This reality was reflected at SEAS26, Conradh na Gaeilge’s annual Irish Language and Gaeltacht Advocacy Day, where more than sixty TDs and Senators met with community representatives to discuss the future of the language.
Among the central demands were an additional €57.7 million for the Irish language and the Gaeltacht in Budget 2027 and a commitment to increase State expenditure on Irish from 0.17% to 0.4% over the next five years.
The education proposals discussed at SEAS26 were equally significant.
The IMEASC campaign has called for legislation to place Irish-medium education on a sustainable statutory footing and to increase participation from the current 6% to 20% of students by 2050.
Such legislation would, for the first time since the foundation of the State, provide a coherent legal framework for the expansion of Irish-medium education across the country.
These proposals are neither unrealistic nor excessive.
They represent a practical response to clearly demonstrated public demand.
Every year, families are denied access to Irish-medium education simply because there are too few schools and too few places available. Rather than planning for expansion, the State has chosen to stand still.
The experience of communities like Tallaght demonstrates what sustained investment can achieve.
Given the opportunity, Irish-medium education creates bilingual citizens, strengthens communities and supports a vibrant cultural ecosystem.
It is one of the most effective language-planning tools available.
If the State were to match the commitment shown by parents, educators and local communities over the past fifty years, by expanding Irish-medium education, investing properly in Irish-language infrastructure and supporting the recommendations advanced by organisations such as Conradh na Gaeilge and the IMEASC campaign, there is every reason to believe that the Irish language would flourish.
A genuinely bilingual Ireland is not an unattainable dream.
It is an achievable national objective. The question is not whether the public appetite exists; the evidence shows that it does.
The question is whether the State is finally prepared to match that ambition.
