40 Irish-medium schools on the department’s list of building projects for the next five years – but disappointment for 27% of Irish-medium schools at primary level and 38% at post-primary level still lacking permanent accommodation
March 14, 2012
“We welcome the Minister for Education and Skills’ announcement concerning new school accommodation to be developed in the period 2012-2015. This will create a favourable learning environment for the 40 Irish-medium schools amongst the 275 mentioned on Ruairí Quinn’s list”, GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. President, Máirín Ní Chéileachair stated today. “These schools have had huge obstacles to overcome in recent years in their fight for better conditions for their children and we wish the pupils, staff and parents every success in this new era”.
The announcement came as a huge disappointment, however, to the 27% of primary schools and 38% of post-primary schools teaching through Irish that are still without permanent accommodation and are not on any of the Department’s lists. These schools are left with little hope of improvement in their accommodation.
“There has been an ongoing accommodation crisis in the Irish-medium education sector for years now” said Bláthnaid ní Ghréacháin, CEO of GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. “60% of Irish-medium primary schools established in the last 25 years are currently in temporary accommodation – that’s without taking into account other schools that have grown since they moved into permanent accommodation and now have part of the school housed in temporary accommodation. It’s unacceptable that schools are left without any guarantee from the Department that appropriate accommodation will be provided for them. The Department’s new development plan covers a period of 5 years – too long to wait for schools that have not been included in this plan. This will result in some schools having no choice but to close, their enrolment numbers having fallen due to their poor accommodation”.
Among those who have been left out of the plan are 7 schools that have been waiting more than 20 years for permanent accommodation, and the Minister’s announcement of the investment plan worth €1.5 billion was a serious blow to them. “These school communities feel that they are being completely ignored by the Department and that an injustice is being done to their children” said ní Ghréacháin. “The temporary accommodation arrangements in place in these schools make it impossible for them to develop, they give rise to health and safety concerns and they have a huge impact on the children’s experience of education”.
Temporary accommodation arrangements also have a huge impact on the Department of Education’s budget. The Department is paying rent on inappropriate accommodation, often in dilapidated prefabs, where the money could be better spent on building projects and investment in the future of our education system. These temporary accommodation arrangements need to come to an end and the Department needs to be put under pressure to provide healthy learning environments for students.
GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. is seeking an urgent meeting with the Forward Planning Unit of the Department of Education to discuss the conditions in these schools and to demand that priority be given to addressing the accommodation crisis in Irish-medium schools with permanent recognition in temporary accommodation, so that these schools are not left to suffer as they have for too many years now.
GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. is the national coordinating body for Irish-medium schools at primary and post-primary level. It provides assistance and support to parents and local communities who wish to found a school and it supports existing Irish-medium schools in their development.
Note:
The Department of Education’s plan for school accommodation are available on www.education.ie.
The list of Irish-medium schools included in the Department of Education’s plan is available here.
Below is a list of Irish-medium schools not included in the Department of Education’s plans for accommodation:
Schools established in the 1980s that are still without permanent accommodation:
1. Gaelscoil Dhonncha Rua, Sionna, 1984
2. Gaelscoil Pheig Sayers, Corcaigh, 1984
3. Scoil Chaitlín Maude, Baile Átha Cliath, 1985
4. Gaelscoil Sheoirse Clancy, Luimneach, 1986
5. Gaelscoil Uileog de Búrca, Clár Chlainne Mhuiris, 1989
6. Gaelcholáiste Chiarraí, Trá Lí, 1989 (Post-primary)
Schools established in the 1990s that are still without permanent accommodation:
1. Gaelscoil Sairséal, Luimneach, 1990
2. Gaelscoil Uí Choimín, Cill Rois, 1991
3. Gaelscoil Dhochtúir Uí Shúilleabháin, An Sciobairín, 1993
4. Gaelscoil Lios Tuathail, Lios Tuathail, 1993
5. Gaelscoil na Camóige, Baile Átha Cliath, 1993
6. Gaelscoil Chluain Meala, Cluain Meala, 1994
7. Gaelscoil Dhroichead na Banndan, Droichead na Banndan, 1995
8. Gaelscoil Phádraig, Baile Breac, Co. Átha Cliath, 1995
9. Gaelscoil Eois, Cluain Eois, 1995
10. Gaelscoil Bhreifne, An Cabhán, 1995
11. Gaelscoil Chnoc na Ré, Sligeach, 1996
12. Gaelscoil na Bóinne, Baile Átha Troim, 1996
13. Gaelscoil Chnoc Liamhna, Baile Átha Cliath, 1996
14. Gaelscoil Thulach na nÓg, Dún Búinne, 1998
15. Gaelscoil Charraig na Siúire, Carraig na Siúire, 1998
16. Gaelscoil na gCeithre Maol, Béal an Átha, 1998
17. Gaelscoil Phort Laoise, Port Laoise, 1998
18. Gaelscoil na gCeithre Máistrí, Dún na nGall, 1999
19. Gaelscoil Bhun Cranncha, Bun Chranncha, 1999
20. Coláiste Ráithín, Brí Chualann, 1991 (Post-primary)
21. Coláiste Pobail Osraí, Cill Chainnigh, 1991 (Post-primary)
22. Coláiste Daibhéad, Corcaigh, 1993 (Post-primary)
Schools established in the 2000s that are still without permanent accommodation:
1. Gaelscoil de hÍde, Ros Comáin, 2000
2. Gaelscoil Chois Feabhail, Bun an Phobail, 2001
3. Gaelscoil Éirne, Béal Átha Seannaigh, 2002
4. Gaelscoil Mhúscraí, An Bhlárna, 2002
5. Gaelscoil an tSlí Dála, Buiríos Mór Osraí, 2005
6. Gaelscoil Uí Earcáin, Baile Átha Cliath, 2005
7. Gaelscoil an Choillín, An Mhuileann gCearr, 2006
8. Gaelscoil na Lochanna, Baile Choimín, 2006
9. Gaelscoil Uí Drisceoil, Gleann Maghair, 2006
10. Gaelscoil Chionn tSáile, Cionn tSáile, 2007
11. Gaelscoil na bhFilí, Gort Inse Guaire, 2007
12. Gaelscoil Chluainín, Cluainín Uí Ruairc, 2007
13. Gaelscoil Lorgan, Baile na Lorgan, 2008
14. Gael-Choláiste Chill Dara, 2003 (Post-primary)
15. Gaelcholáiste Luimnigh, Luimneach, 2006 (Post-primary)
16. Gaelcholáiste na Mara, An tInbhear Mór, 2006 (Post-primary)
17. Meánscoil Gharman, 2006 (Post-primary)
18. Gael-Choláiste Phort Láirge, 2007 (Post-primary)
19. Gaelcholáiste Chineál Eoghain, Bun Chranncha, 2007 (Post-primary)
