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GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. Welcomes the Opening of New Irish-Medium Schools September 2008

September 1, 2008

GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. welcomes the opening of four Irish-medium Primary schools in September 2008 who will be opening their doors for the first time this year.

The Irish-medium Primary schools are as follows:

  1. Gaelscoil na Lorgan, Lurgan, Co Monaghan,
  2. Gaelscoil Éadan Doire, Edenderry, Co Offaly,
  3. Gaelscoil na gCloch Liatha, Greystones, Co Wicklow, and
  4. Gaelscoil Ros Eo, Rush, Co Dublin.

We extend our welcome also to a new Irish-medium school in Northern Ireland, opening with the help and support of our Educational Partners in the North, Comhairle na Gaelscolaíochta. The school in question is Bunscoil Uí Chléirigh, Dungannon Co. Tyrone.

Bláthnaid ní Ghréacháin, C.E.O. of GAELSCOILEANNA TEO., is delighted to welcome this progressive growth which celebrates all that is achieved by the founding committees and the Irish-medium Education sector. She says, “Praise is due to the founding committees and the parents who have worked tirelessly and voluntarily on these school projects for many years to ensure provision of Irish-medium education for their children.”

She stated, however, that these schools will be operating from temporary accommodation for the next few years, as are nearly 50% of the total number of Primary Irish-medium schools in the country, including new and long established schools. However, she confirms that “GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. will continue its renewed campaign for Cóiríocht Chóir (Fair Accomodation) to improve the situation of Irish-speaking schools, through fair accommodation and sufficient resources in line with the high standards achieved by the Irish-medium education system”.

President of the organisation, Mícheál Ó Broin, wishes every success to the new schools, their principals and teachers as well as the pupils and their parents that are embarking on a new important era in their lives. To previously existing school communities he states, “On this proud occasion we wish every continued success to all Irish-medium schools that are re-opening their doors in preparation for a new school year as they continue their hard work in providing an excellent standard of education through the immersion education model.”

GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. is the national co-ordinating body for schools teaching through the medium of Irish. It helps parents and local groups to set up new schools and supports the established all-Irish schools. There are 171 primary schools and 44 secondary schools outside the Gaeltacht (32 County) currently providing education through the medium of Irish.