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Both happiness and heartbreak for parents in the Minister for Education & Skills’ announcement re new schools

May 19, 2016

Both happiness and heartbreak for parents in the Minister for Education & Skills’ announcement re new schools

Celebration in South Dublin with the announcement by Minister Bruton that a new Irish-medium multi-denominational primary school is to open in the area. Disappointment and disbelief however in the same announcement for the huge number of parents who supported the application for a multi-denominational Irish-medium school in the Marino, Drumcondra, Dublin 1 area, an application that has been denied by the Minister and the Department of Education.

A new multi-denominational Irish-medium school for the Stillorgan/Goatstown area

Gaelscoileanna Teo. would like to congratulate the community behind the new multi-denominational Irish-medium primary school that has been given permission to open this coming September by the new Minister for Education & Skills, Richard Bruton, following a successful application for the patronage of the school by An Foras Pátrúnachta.

“Of the 3 new primary schools due to open in September 2016, we really welcome this announcement by Minister Bruton that one of them is to be an Irish-medium school”, said Clare Spáinneach, Senior Policy & Development Officer with Gaelscoileanna Teo. “It’s a very positive decision that will ensure that Irish-medium education will be available as a choice for parents interested in immersion education for their children; a model of education that offers huge benefits to children of all kinds. These schools will cater for children from different linguistic, cultural and religious backgrounds and will help to meet the huge demand for multi-denominational Irish-medium education”.

 

The school will open under the patronage of An Foras Pátrúnachta. Suitable accommodation for the school will be arranged with the assistance of the Department of Education over the coming weeks, and a principal will be appointed by the patron. The school will open with junior infants in September. Parents interested in registering their children for a place should contact Cormac Mc Cashin, Administration & Support Manager with An Foras Pátrúnachta: email cormac@foras.ie or call 01 629 4110.

 Parents in North Dublin left without a choice for their children

It’s a huge disappointment, however, to the communities in Marino, Drumcondra and Dublin 1 that the demand for Irish-medium education in those areas has not been recognised. “The founding committee in the area have done incredible work since the area was identified as one for development by the Department of Education, and we received 733 expressions of interest from local parents” said Ciara Ní Bhroin, Development Officer with Gaelscoileanna Teo. and director of the local campaign. “The Irish-medium schools in the area are unable to cater for the current levels of demand for places, and there is no Irish-medium multi-denominational school available in the locality. The establishment of this new school, which will teach through English, will not cater for the wishes of these parents for their children’s education, and there is nowhere else for them to go”. Gaelscoileanna Teo. will repeal the Department of Education’s decision not to grant recognition to the Irish-medium school, and will continue to campaign for the educational rights of the 733 children who were on the list for the proposed school.

Gaelscoileanna Teo. is a national, voluntary organisation supporting the development of Irish-medium schools at primary and at post-primary level. As of July 2014, Gaelscoileanna Teo. is the lead organisation in the Irish-medium Immersion Education and Preschool sector. Gaelscoileanna Teo. provides advice, assistance and support to people who wish to have their children educated through the medium of Irish, as well as support services for Irish-medium preschools and schools.