Galway-based Senator Fidelma Healy Eames has defended the controversial idea of separating non-English speaking children in schools.

Fidelma Healy Eames.

Speaking to the Galway Independent, Senator Healy Eames said her colleague, Fine Gael Education spokesperson Brian Hayes, had the right intention when he said non-English speaking children should receive separate English immersion classes.

"The language was not appropriate – the word 'segregation' was unfortunate. But the intention was good. These children do need intensive language opportunities; immersion is the best way of all to learn a language."

Having children who don't speak English in the classroom was helping neither them nor their native counterparts, she said, while making teachers' jobs harder.

"With all these efforts to be PC, you don't make progress; the problem still remains. It's a very good idea to have intensive immersion. The intention was very good – it will help both those children and the native Irish children."

A Fine Gael spokesman told the Galway Independent the idea was not official policy as yet, but would form part of Deputy Hayes' submission to the party's new immigration policy. He also said Enda Kenny had brought up the issue as early as January 2007.

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