Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

On that, I have a feeling that, really and truthfully, we are seeing a huge increase in the number of exemptions for the Irish language. We know people come out of 13 years of education feeling they do not have the confidence to speak in Irish outside of the school setting, and perhaps not even within that setting. At the same time, we are seeing a decrease in the amount of time we have dedicated to the Irish language. Additionally, and I take what Dr. Sullivan is saying, I am sure, although I am not a teacher, that for teachers and for the children there was an element of being rushed in all that, but then we are also bringing in another language. While that is fine - my mother is German, I speak German, and I grew up in a trilingual household; kids can do that, no problem - I do not really understand how that then makes it easier for kids and it is not as rushed. I do not understand, when Irish is a national language, why we would be reducing that.