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ASD Unit approved for Gaelscoil Bhaile Brigín

December 19, 2014

Gaelscoil Bhaile Brigín are delighted to have been given the approval of the Department of Education & Skills to open an ASD (Autistic spectrum disorder) Unit in the school.

“We hope that it will be open this time next year” said the school’s principal, Clodagh Ní Mhaoilchiaráin. “The whole school is thrilled and we’re hoping to get to work in the New Year. It will help us to care for the community we have in the school at the moment and for any future pupils with ASD whose parents would like them to stay in Irish-medium education.”

Further information about the school is available on their website, www.gsbhailebrigin.ie.

Aifreann Gaeilge na Nollag

December 19, 2014

Sorry, this entry is only available in Irish.

16 extra schools to benefit from expanded building programme

December 19, 2014

Some 16 school building projects have been added to the Department of Education’s infrastructural programme for 2015.

The extra projects include a new primary school building for Gaelscoil de hÍde in Fermoy, Co Cork, which has been engaged in a long-running campaign to accommodate its expanding student population.

Also benefitting is St Patrick’s Cathedral Grammar School, which abandoned fees for its pupils earlier this year so it could qualify for building grants and other supports under the Free Education Scheme.

The 450-year-old school, one of the country’s oldest, had been campaigning unsuccessfully since 2000 for the new building, which will encompass a derelict site on Kevin Street.

The 16 projects, which will replace inadequate educational infrastructure, are part of 70 building projects scheduled to proceed to construction next year.

The projects are part of a €2.2 billion five-year capital investment programme launched in March 2012, aimed at meeting demographic demand for new schools and facilities.

44 new primary schools

The 70 projects scheduled to begin next year comprise 44 new schools at primary level, 11 extensions at primary level, five new schools at second level, eight extensions at second-level and two new special schools.

Minister for Education Jan O’Sullivan said that together with school projects ongoing from 2014, this meant that a total of 196 major school projects would be on site next year. She said further building projects would be announced next year.

Ms O’Sullivan acknowledged that some schools had campaigned for years to get new buildings but there was “no intention to delay” on the part of the Government or the department.

“Inevitably some of these are very large projects. Some of them do run into difficulties that delay them. But as Minister I want to move them forward as quickly as possible.”

She also said the department was monitoring claims of exploitation of labourers in school building projects. The trade union Unite has claimed that workers are earning less than €5 per hour in some projects due to sub-contracting arrangements.

The Minister said there was an auditing system in the department “and anything that is untoward is reported to the relevant authorities” be it Revenue, the Department of Social Protection or the National Employment Rights Authority.

She noted that there were difficulties from the striking down in court of some of the protections for workers but her colleague Ged Nash, Minister of State at the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, was making “significant progress” in addressing these.

Construction industry

“This programme brings a very large number of jobs to an industry that has been pretty much on its knees for several years now. So it’s a very important element of the revival of the construction industry, which is a priority for Government,” Ms O’Sullivan said. l The full list of building projects approved can be found at education.ie.

www.irishtimes.com

Building to start on 51 schools

December 19, 2014

Construction should start on 51 school buildings next year as part of a €450m capital programme announced yesterday.

The projects are a mix of replacement facilities for existing schools and accommodation for start-up primary and second-level schools, as well as two new special schools in Carrigaline, Co Cork, and Enniscorthy, Co Wexford.

The new Sonas facility is one of five new-build projects in the Cork town on a list of 70 major projects going to construction in 2015, published by Education Minister Jan O’Sullivan. The others are three second-level schools and a new building for Gaelscoil Charraig Uí Leighinn.

A gaelscoil that has been the subject of local political controversy is also listed to move to construction, even though a planning application has yet to be lodged. A campaign group in Fermoy, Co Cork, has been targeting Minister of State Seán Sherlock about commitments for a new building for Gaelscoil de hÍde, which is scheduled by Ms O’Sullivan to proceed next year.

Its inclusion received a cautious welcome from principal at the 410-pupil school, Seán McGearrailt.

“We’re delighted to be finally on this list after a long campaign by parents, staff and management, but there’s still a long way to go. Hopefully it will happen next year, but the site has yet to be acquired, design work done and planning permission got,” he said.

The schools capital outlay for next year is €20m less than the €470m budget in 2014, although Ms O’Sullivan revealed last week that €35.5m targeted at large building projects was not spent due to a range of delays.

The 70 projects announced over a year ago to begin construction in 2014 included 22 primary and 12 second-level buildings. Planning appeals delayed 14 projects this year but three have been cleared and started construction, and another five are set to see work begin next year.

Under the 2015 programme, work should start on 44 new primary schools and five new builds at second-level, with 19 major extensions set to begin. Dublin projects make up 18 of those on the list, followed by Cork with 11, six in Galway, and three each in Clare, Louth, Meath and Wexford.

More than 40 major projects were completed or occupied during the past year, and the Department of Education expects almost 200 to be in progress during 2015, when those with work already started are added to those on the new list. Projects for future years will be assessed as 2015 progresses, to see if they are ready to go to construction and if there is financial scope to do so.

Irish Examiner

€450m school-building plan targets fast-growing areas

December 19, 2014

Education Minister Jan O’Sullivan has announced a spend of €450m on next year’s school building programme, including €280m on 70 major projects.

Among the major works are 44 new schools at primary level as well as 11 extensions, along with five new second-level schools and eight extensions and two special schools.

Projects have been announced for all but three of the 26 counties, with Kerry, Mayo and Sligo on the western seaboard, where many schools are losing numbers, not featuring on the 2015 list.

Most of the focus is on Dublin and its extended commuter belt, such as counties Louth and Wexford, as well as other major urban centres such as Cork and Galway.

Overall, more than 27,800 permanent school places – including 23,700 extra places – will be created next year to cope with rising enrolments as a result of ongoing high birth rates.

Schools at both primary and second-level will see significant increases in pupil numbers in coming years.

Total enrolment in primary schools is expected to rise by over 44,000 between now and 2017, while at second-level the increase will be in the order of 25,000. Enrolments in primary schools will peak by 2020, while at second-level they will continue to rise until at least 2026.

A €2.2bn five-year capital investment programme was launched in March 2012 with the target of creating more than 100,000 permanent school places over five years.

As well as new schools, other projects will see the replacement of temporary or unsatisfactory accommodation.

Ms O’Sullivan said her “primary aim is to ensure that there are sufficient school accommodation places in place in the education system to ensure that every child has access to a physical school place”.

Next year’s building programme will support about 3,000 construction-related jobs and more than 500 indirect jobs in 2015.

It means that 196 major school projects will be on site next year including projects continuing from 2014. A total of 42 major school projects have reached substantial completion in 2014.

The minister said that as 2015 progressed, projects scheduled to begin building in future years would be assessed to see if they were ready to go to construction earlier than planned, and if there is financial scope to do so.

The announcement was given only a cautious welcome by Gaelscoil de hIde in Fermoy, Co Cork, which said its inclusion on the list was “meaningless unless the process gets moving and fast – currently we don’t even have a site on which to construct a new school”.

The theme of last week’s protest at Gaelscoil de hIde was “frozen”, reflecting the view of the school community that the project was “frozen in time”.

Irish Independent

Eight An Foras Pátrúnachta schools on Department’s 2015 Building List

December 18, 2014

The Minister for Education and Skills, Jan O’Sullivan, T.D., today announced the 70 school projects which are scheduled for construction in 2015.

Eight schools under the patronage of An Foras Pátrúnachta are on this list:

  • Gaelscoil an Bhradáin Feasa, Meath
  • Gaelscoil an Chuillinn, Dublin
  • Gaelscoil Liatroma, Leitrim
  • Gaelscoil Longfoirt, Longford
  • Gaelscoil Mhic Aodha, Kildare
  • Gaelscoil Riabhach, Galway
  • Gaelscoil Ros Eo, Dublin
  • Gaelscoil Thulach na nÓg, Meath

Caoimhín Ó hEaghra, General Secretary of An Foras Pátrúnachta said:

“An Foras Pátrúnachta are delighted with the permanent buildings for schools that the Department have announced for 2015. They are badly needed and the Department must be praised for the work they are doing to ensure that they are provided. There are still schools that do not have suitable accommodation and An Foras Pátrúnachta will continue to work with the Department of Education to arrange for the provision of appropriate accommodation in the short term.”

Some €450 million will be spent on primary and post-primary infrastructure next year

“We have a pressing need to provide new schools and major extensions so as to continue to meet the accommodation requirements of our growing school going population.

“My primary aim is to ensure that there is sufficient school accommodation places in place in the education system to ensure that every child has access to a physical school place.” Minister Jan O’Sullivan concluded.

www.foras.ie

Minister Jan O’Sullivan announces 70 major school building projects as part of €2.2bn five year plan

December 18, 2014

Projects to provide over 27,800 permanent school places and 3,500 jobs

The Minister for Education and Skills, Jan O’Sullivan, T.D., today announced the 70 school projects which are scheduled for construction in 2015.

A €2.2 billion five-year capital investment programme launched in March 2012, gave details of 275 new major school building projects to begin over the period 2012-2016. In 2013, details of a further 28 major school projects were announced that were approved to proceed to tender and construction.

The announcement today includes 16 further school projects that will replace inadequate educational infrastructure and provide much needed additional capacity to meet the demographic challenge.

Some €450 million will be spent on primary and post-primary infrastructure next year, with a projected expenditure on large scale projects of over €280 million.

The 70 major projects scheduled to proceed to construction in 2015 are:
* 44 new schools at primary level
* 11 extensions at primary level
* 5 new schools at second-level
* 8 extensions at second-level
* 2 new special schools

These school projects will deliver over 27,800 permanent school places and of these over 23,700 are additional places. The remainder will be the replacement of temporary or unsatisfactory accommodation.

Together with the school projects ongoing from 2014, this means that a total of 196 major school projects will be on site next year.

In addition, the Minister confirmed that a total of 42 major school projects have now reached substantial completion in 2014.

Announcing details of the 2015 building programme Minister Jan O’Sullivan said, “I am delighted to confirm today the major school projects which will be built next year.”

“Alongside the 27,800 permanent school places that are being provided, this significant investment will support approximately 3,000 direct jobs and more than 500 indirect jobs in 2015.”

Minister Jan O’Sullivan continued, “We have a pressing need to provide new schools and major extensions so as to continue to meet the accommodation requirements of our growing school going population.

“We are facing significant increases in the number of school going children in the coming years. Total pupil enrolment in both primary and post-primary schools is expected to grow by almost 70,000 pupils between now and 2017 – over 44,000 at primary level and 25,000 at post primary – and will continue to grow up to at least 2026 at second level.”

“My primary aim is to ensure that there is sufficient school accommodation places in place in the education system to ensure that every child has access to a physical school place.” Minister Jan O’Sullivan concluded.

Today’s announcement is part of the Government’s plan to provide more than 100,000 permanent school places over the course of the five year plan.

As 2015 progresses, projects scheduled to begin building in future years will be assessed to see if they are ready to go to construction earlier than planned, and if there is financial scope to do so.

Details of the progress of all major projects listed in the Five Year Plan will continue to be maintained and updated on the Department’s website, www.education.ie

Department of Education & Skills announces school buildings programme for 2015, 18 Irish-medium schools to get new school buildings

December 18, 2014

Gaelscoileanna Teo. is delighted that 18 Irish-medium schools have been included on the list published today by the Department of Education & Skills for the 2015 school buildings programme. New school buildings will be provided for the schools below, some of which have been in temporary accommodation for almost 30 years. We wish them the very best with the building projects and hope that the staff and students will be very happy in their new surroundings.

The Irish-medium schools on the 2015 buildings list are as follows:

  • Gaelscoil de hÍde
  • Gaelscoil Charraig Uí Leighin
  • Gaelscoil Mainistir na Corann
  • Gaelcholáiste Charraig Uí Leighin
  • Scoil Caitlín Maude
  • Gaelscoil Ros Eo
  • Gaelscoil an Chuilinn
  • Gaelscoil na Giúise
  • Scoil Náisiúnta na bhForbacha
  • Gaelscoil Mhic Amhlaigh
  • Gaelscoil Riabhach
  • Gaelscoil Mhic Aodha
  • Gaelscoil Liatroma
  • Gaelscoil an Ráithín
  • Gaelscoil Longfoirt
  • Gaelscoil an Bhradáin Feasa
  • Gaelscoil Thulach na nÓg
  • Gaelscoil Philib Barún

The full list and further information is available on the Department of Education & Skills website, www.education.ie.

(Gaeilge) Folúntas: Coláiste na Coiribe, Gaillimh

December 16, 2014

Sorry, this entry is only available in Irish.

(Gaeilge) SAOL FAOI SHRÁID- Clár speisialta na Nollag ar Cúla4

December 16, 2014

Sorry, this entry is only available in Irish.

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