Ceist na Gaeilge sa chóras oideachais le bheith mar cnámh spairne toghcháin.

Chuir ceannaire Fhine Gael Enda Kenny, i leith an Taoiseach an tseachtain seo gur dhein duine dá Airi Stáit "ionsaí nimhneach" air maidir le ceist na Gaeilge sa choras Oideachais ar ocáid fhoirmeálta sa Bhruséil.

Dúirt Kenny go ndearna an tAire Stáit. Noel Treacy, "ionsaí" air ag an ocáid chéilúrtha ag a fógraíodh stádas don Ghaeilge san AE.

Ba é seo an casadh is déanaí sa díospóireacht theasaí atá ar bun idir an dá pháirti maidir le ceist na Gaeilge sa chóras oideachais agus mhaigh foinsí bhFianna Fáil agus i bhFine Gael an tseachtain seo go mbeifí ag diriú ar an gceist san Olltoghchán an bhliain seo chugainn.

An briatharchath go dti seo 'Comical Hanafin' agus 'Murder Machine Kenny' Samhain 2005: Fógraíonn Enda Kenny moltaí nua Fhine Gael maidir le teagaso na Gaeilge. I measc na bpolasaithe éagsúla, moltar go bhfaighfi réidh leis an nGaeilge mar abhar riachtanach don Ardteist. Maíonn sé go bhfuil ag teip go hiomián ar pholasaí an Rialtais maidir le múineadh na Gaeilge. Ar an 12 Samhain, tugann an tAire Qideachais, Mary Hanafin, Iéasadh teanga do Kenny agus Fine GaeI agus cuireann sí ina leith nach bhfuil sé ach ag iarraidh "ceannline a ghnóthú go bog." 'Cheap auction politics typical 0f Fine Gael's approach to the ast election,' até i gceist, dar léi. 'I am truly disappointed that Fine GaeI, rather than supporting reform of how Irish is taught in our schools, has chosen instead an opportunistic and ill-thought ouf ploy that will jeopardise the future of our native language," a dúirt an tAire Hanafin. Ag óc88id cheiiiúrtha 'Stádas' na Gaeilge sa Bhruisé ag deireadh na míosa, deineann Aire Stáit na hEorpa, Noel Treacey , tagairt elle do pholasaithe nua Fhine Gael. Agus Enda Kenny sa iucht éisteachta dúirt an tAire: "Mé tá siad sásta géilleadh ar an nGaeiige, ar ér ndúchas, ér n-oidhreacht agus ar ér bhféiniúiacht, ni fios cad elle a dhéanfaidh siad!" Feabhra, 2006: Sa Déil, baineann an tAire Mary Hanafin úséid as an téarma "murder machine" chun cur sios a dhéanamh ar pholasaithe Fhine Gael maidir leis an nGaeiige Sa chóras Oideachais. Ag cruinniú d'Ogra Fhine Gael ag deireadh na míosa deineann an Teachta Kenny comparéid idir chur chuige an Riaitais i leith na GaeiIge sa chóras Oideachais agus cur chuige 'Comical Ali', leasainm iar-Aire de chuid Saddam Husséin ar deineadh go leor magaidh faoina thuairiscí míchruinne ar a dhéirire is a bhí fadhbanna réimeas an iardheachtóra Iarécach ag deireadh a ré. Maionn Kenny leis go bhfuil polasaí an Aire "coimeédach, diúltach agus mimhacénta." Mérta, 2006: Eagraíonn Fine Gael comhdhéil speisiaita faoi cheist na Gaeilge sa chóras Oideachais agus faoi na moltaí éagsúia até acu ina taobh. "Chuirfeadh moladh Enda Kenny ísliú céime a thabhairt don Ghaeilge deireadh leis an nGaeilge," a deir an tAire Oideachais. Samhain, 2006: Ag árd Fheis Fhianna Féil, deineann an tAire ionsaí elle ar pholasaithe Fhine Gael. "Fine Gael want to kill a broad education and they also want to kill the Irish language," a deir an tAire. Ag labhairt dó in Inis, dúirt Enda Kenny nach bhfuil suim ag Fianna Féil ach i "mudslinging" maidir leis an nGaeilge agus cuireann sé fimínteacht i leith an Riaitais. "One of the greatest challenges facing the Irish language today is the complete hypocrisy of that party on this issue. Fianna Féil won't face the facts regarding how our education system is failing chiidren and the language, and they will do everything they can to rubbish proposais from other parties," a deir ceannaire Fhine Gael.

"The Taoiseach and Fine Gael rightly supported the announcement. The attack was personal and vindictive, in front of international personnel. In my time a Minister of State never attacked a Member of the House while abroad. I am sure the Minister of State did not let fly with the Taoiseach's imprimatur because the Taoiseach never did that. Perhaps the Minister of State got mixed up or perhaps he wrote the script," a dúirt ceannaire Fhine Gael sa Dáil.

An tseachtamn seo caite, cháin Enda Kenny "fimínteacht" Fhianna Fáil maidir le teagase na Gaeilge agus dúirt sé gur mó an spéis a bhi ag an Rialtas "i gcaitheamh sleaiseanna suaracha" ná an cheist a phlé.

Maíounn ceannaire Fhine GaeI nach bhfuil Fianna Fáil ag iarraidh diospóireacht "mhacánta" ar na moltaí éagsúla atá curtha chun cinn aige maidir leis an nGaeilge sa chóras Oideachais, agus deir sé go bhfuil siad ag diriú dá réir ar a mholadh maidir le riachtanas na Gaeilge san Ardteist.

"The response of Fianna Fáil last November - last March, and last weekend at their árd Fheis - confirms that one of the greatest challenges facing the Irish language today is the complete hypocrisy of that party on this issue. Fianna Fáil won't face the facts regarding how our education system is failing children and the language, and they wiII do cverything they can to rubbish proposals from other parties who address this issue in an open and honest way," a dúirt an tUas Kenny.

Meastar gurb é an cáineadh neamhbhalbh a rinne an tAire Oideachais, Mary Hanafin, ar pholasaithe Fhine Gael maidir leis an nGaeiige a spreag an ráiteas is déanai ó Enda Kenny.

Ag labhairt di ag Ard Fheis Fhianna Fáii ag tús na miosa, dúirt an tAire, "Fine Gaei want to kill a broad education and they aiso want to kill the Irish ianguage."
"They are the ones that want to abolish compulsory Irish. We are the ones that want to reform the way it is taught and learned. So that our children can love the language, can speak it and can share our tradition, aur culture and our identity. The few policies Fine Gael have are deeply distrurbing but I suppose that shouldn't surprise us given their record." a dúirt an tAire Hanafin.

Ni inniú na inné a thosaigh an briatharchath seo maidir ie ceist na Gaeiige sa chóras Oideachais.

Cheana fhéin, bhain an tAire Mary Hanafin úsáid as an téarma "murder machine" chun cur sios a dhéanamh ar pholasaithe Fhine Gael agus rinne Enda Kenny comparáid idir chur chuige an Riaitais i leith na Gaeiige sa chóras Oideachais agus cur chuige 'Comicai Ali', leasainm iarAire de chuid Saddam Husséin.

Thug foinse i bhFianna Fáil le fios an tseachtain sco gur "léir" go dtéann an cheist seo gar do chnámh" cheannaire Fhine Gael, agus ba léir ón racht feirge uaidh sa Dáil gur cheist í a bhfuil ceannaire Fhine Gael an-ghoilliúnach fúithi.

Nuair a dúirt an Teachta Dáia de chuid Ehine Gaei, Jim O'Keefe, go raibh an "ionsaí" a rinne Noel Treacey ar a cheannaire cosúil ie ionsaí "ó chaora mharbh" d'aontaigh an tUas Kenny ieis.

"Ravaged by a dcad sheep," a dúirt ceannaire Fhine Gael.

Foinse 19/11/2006