Gaeltacht language assistants
Senator Mac Lochlainn raised the issue of na cúntóirí teanga and asked that it be taken up with the Minister of State for the Gaeltacht.
I echo the comments made by colleagues on the extension of the deadline for slurry spreading. The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine dealt with the matter in recent weeks. It is a major issue for the farming community and this would be a practical way of assisting farmers through the difficult times they face.
The substantive issue I want to raise is na cúntóirí teanga. Will the Leader raise the matter with the Minister of State with responsibility for the Gaeltacht, Deputy Seán Kyne? This is announced around this time every year. In County Donegal Muintearas Teo delivers the programme for 26 weeks across a wide range of schools, mostly in the Gaeltacht. It has approximately €42,000 less this year, but initially it was asked to deal with 13 more schools. It has advised all of the public representatives in the county it cannot do this. When we consider the struggle the language faces, particularly in the Gaeltacht, this issue needs to be addressed. There is a real problem and we are asking for a solution. Will the Leader raise the matter with the Minister of State and ask him to get back to me directly on it?