(English) Revolution in learning about Irish history sees events in new ways
Deireadh Fómhair 18, 2016
(English) Welcome for council’s new Irish language Christmas
Deireadh Fómhair 18, 2016
(English) Limerick teacher releases innovative free grinds app
Deireadh Fómhair 17, 2016
(English) Mayor launches Gaeloideachas and education conference
Deireadh Fómhair 17, 2016
(English) Two Irish language schools being lined up to join state controlled sector
Deireadh Fómhair 17, 2016
Gaelscoil Uí Chéadaigh presents €630 to CF Ireland
Deireadh Fómhair 17, 2016
They raised the money in the final term of school last year.
John Coleman of CF Ireland came to accept the cheque with his son Christian Coleman, who is a past pupil of the school. Christian has now gone on to secondary school but was present for the fundraising. He has CF himself.
Principal Gearóidín Ní Bhaoill said that Cystic Fibrosis sent them a range of items to sell, including roses, pins, biros, bags and more.
Parents, staff and people connected with neighbouring schools all gave very generously. They had a collection day in April, selling the items in school and at the gates.
Then they left the box out for the rest of the school year, raising the fantastic total of €630. Cystic Fibrosis is a genetically inherited disease that primarily affects the lungs and the digestive system. Ireland has the highest incidence of Cystic Fibrosis in the world – approximately 1 in 19 Irish people are said to ‘carry’ one copy of the altered gene that causes Cystic Fibrosis.
Polasaí oideachais Gaeltachta pléite leis an Taoiseach, ach níl aon phingin dá fheidhmú sa Bhuiséad
Deireadh Fómhair 17, 2016
Tá sé deimhnithe ag Tuairisc.ie nach bhfuil aon phingin curtha ar leataobh sa Bhuiséad chun tús a chur an bhliain seo chugainn leis an bPolasaí Oideachais nua don Ghaeltacht atá le foilsiú roimh dheireadh na bliana seo. Fágann an scéal seo go bhfuil amhras anois ann faoi cé acu an dtosófar nó nach dtosófar ar fheidhm a thabhairt don pholasaí i dtús na chéad scoilbhliana eile i mí Mheán Fómhair 2017.
Idir an dá linn, pléadh an polasaí oideachais Gaeltachta tráthnóna inné ag cruinniú den Choiste Rialtais don Ghaeilge, coiste a bhfuil an Taoiseach ina Chathaoirleach air.
Rinne an Roinn Oideachais costasú ar chur i bhfeidhm an pholasaí nua agus meastar go mbeadh costas idir €2 milliún agus €3 milliún in aghaidh na bliana ar an bpolasaí nua dá gcuirfí i bhfeidhm na moltaí ar fad atá ann. Ní fios go fóill, áfach, cé na moltaí a nglacfar nó nach nglacfar leo sa pholasaí féin.
Thug urlabhraí ón Roinn Oideachais le fios do Tuairisc.ie inné nach raibh aon tagairt do mhaoiniú don pholasaí Gaeltachta i mbuiséad na Roinne don bhliain seo chugainn.
“Tá [an tAire] tiomanta an Polasaí Oideachais Gaeltachta a fhoilsiú roimh dheireadh na bliana. Sonraítear sa phlean Aicsin freisin go gcuirfear an polasaí i bhfeidhm ar bhonn céimnithe, de réir mar a cheadaíonn acmhainní,” a dúirt an t-urlabhraí.
Dúirt Dónal Ó hAiniféin, Cathaoirleach COGG, le Tuairisc.ie go bhfuil “díomá” air nach luaitear maoiniú don pholasaí oideachais Gaeltachta go sonrach i mBuiséad 2017 agus gur “údar imní” dó an easpa maoinithe sin toisc go bhféadfadh sé nach gcuirfear an polasaí i bhfeidhm an bhliain seo chugainn mar a bhíothas ag súil.
“Bhí díomá orm Dé Máirt nach raibh aon líne faoi leith ann sna cáipéisí faoi chur i bhfeidhm an pholasaí. Cosnóidh sé seo roinnt milliún. Rinneadh meastacháin cheana ach níl a fhios againn cé na hathruithe atá déanta air ó shin, tá os cionn bliana anois ann ó bhíomar ag plé leis.
“Táimid ag caint ar naíonraí, bunscoileanna, meánscoileanna, acmhainní agus tacaíochtaí múinteoireachta agus araile. Beidh costas roinnt milliún in aghaidh na bliana leis sin agus mura bhfuil sé luaite go sonrach sa Bhuiséad cé as a thiocfaidh an t-airgead? Nó an mbeidh an t-airgead ann lena chur i bhfeidhm ar chor ar bith? Ní bheidh an deis atá againn anois ag an gcéad ghlúin eile, tá sé ríthábhachtach go gcuirfear an polasaí i bhfeidhm a luaithe agus is féidir,” a dúirt Cathaoirleach COGG.
I mBealtaine 2015 a foilsíodh na moltaí don pholasaí nua Gaeltachta, agus ba i nDeireadh Fómhair na bliana seo caite a bhí an cruinniú deireanach sa phróiseas comhairliúcháin a lean foilsiú na moltaí sin.
Cuireadh fáilte roimh na moltaí don pholasaí nuair a foilsíodh anuraidh iad toisc gur measadh go dtugann siad aghaidh ar chuid de na dúshláin is mó atá roimh theagasc na Gaeilge sna ceantair ina bhfuil sí fós in uachtar mar theanga phobail.
Dúirt an tAire Bruton níos túisce i mbliana go raibh an polasaí nua ina dhlúthchuid d’obair a Roinne ar an Straitéis 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge agus go raibh na moltaí oideachais i gceist chomh maith sa gheallúint a tugadh i gClár an Rialtais nua maidir le tacaíocht bhreise a thabhairt don Ghaeilge.
Bhíothas ag súil go mbeadh an polasaí nua foilsithe roimh thús na scoilbhliana seo ach táthar anois ag maíomh gur roimh dheireadh na bliana a fhoilseofar é.
Déantar moltaí ar leith don chainteoir dúchais sa dréachtpholasaí agus moltar ann freisin go dtabharfaí tacaíocht do scoileanna Gaeltachta atá ag teagasc i mBéarla tosú ag teagasc trí Ghaeilge.
Irish language school in legal action against minister after building plan put on hold
Deireadh Fómhair 17, 2016
Gaelcholaiste Dhoire in Dungiven opened in 2015 with just 15 pupils, but since then its enrolment has increased to 48.
The school wants specialist accommodation on a council site close to Dungiven Castle, where it is based.
The news emerged following an Assembly Question asked by the Sinn Fein MLA Caoimhe Archibald.
She asked Education Minister Peter Weir, whose department is progressing plans for additional classrooms to meet the critical accommodation needs of Gaelcholaiste Dhoire.
Mr Weir responded by saying he asked his department officials to “explore alternative options”, because he did not believe the proposal “represented best value for public money”.
“Initial plans for the provision of specialist accommodation on the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council site, adjacent to Dungiven Castle, have been put on hold as I have asked officials to explore alternative options for provision of accommodation for the school,” Mr Weir said in his written answer.
“This action has been taken as I don’t believe that the current option represents best value for public money.”
Mr Weir went on to reveal that the matter was now subject to a possible judicial review.
“The department has received a pre-proceedings letter regarding potential judicial review proceedings and I would not therefore propose to make further comment,” he added.
It is understood that a final decision has not been made on the matter while further options are being explored.
St Patrick’s College, located less than half a mile away, has fewer pupils than its approved enrolment.
Gaelcholaiste Dhoire currently shares specialist accommodation with St Patrick’s College including home Economics, science and IT classrooms.
Gaelcholaiste Dhoire is only the second publicly funded Irish language post-primary school in Northern Ireland, along with Coleiste Feirste in Belfast.
Gaelcholaiste Dhoire opened in 2015 with 15 pupils, all in Year 8, and the equivalent of 3.6 teachers. Some 14 of the 15 were Catholic, with one describing themselves as “other” according to the department’s website.
The Belfast Telegraph revealed in 2014 that former Education Minister John O’Dowd had disregarded advice when he approved the creation of the school.
Ulster Unionist MLA Danny Kinahan said at the time: “The Western Education and Library Board, the Education and Training Inspectorate and the Department of Education itself have all said that the proposal is neither affordable nor viable.”
Unionists criticised Mr O’Dowd’s decision to open the school at a time when his department was faced with making cuts of £198m to its budget.
However, Mr O’Dowd stood by his decision, and said he made it following careful consideration.
2017-2018 Fulbright Irish Awards: Application Deadline 4pm, 28 October 2016
Deireadh Fómhair 13, 2016
Fulbright Irish Awards provide grants and support for postgraduate students, researchers, lecturers and professionals across all disciplines, to study, research or teach in the USA. The application deadline is 4pm, 28th October 2016.
To find out more, visit the Fulbright Irish Awards page. Interested candidates should review the eligibility criteria & award categories on our website, then contact awards@fulbright.ie for the 2017-2018 Award application guidelines & the link to the online application.
Further information:
- Watch the 2017-2018 Fulbright Irish Awards Webinar here
- Fulbright Ireland Ambassadors are available to give on-campus support, find details of the Ambassador on your campus here
- Watch interviews with Fulbright Alumni here or read their testimonials here
- Fulbright Award Managers can be reached at awards@fulbright.ie or by phone on +353 1 660 7670 to answer queries
We encourage you to share this information with students and colleagues. If you have any queries do not hesitate to contact me.
Emma Loughney
Communication & Administration Manager
The Fulbright Commission
T: +353 (0) 1 230 9802 www.fulbright.ie
Dea-scéal fógartha sa Bhuiséad do Scoileanna Aon-Oide
Deireadh Fómhair 12, 2016
Fáiltíonn Gaeloideachas (Gaelscoileanna Teo.) roimh fhógra an Aire Bruton go gceadófar an dara múinteoir do gach scoil oileáin gur scoil aon oide í agus an dara múinteoir do gach scoil gur scoil aon oide í ar an mórthír a bhfuil múinteoir i bhfeighil 6 rang nó os a chionn. Ar fíor-bheagán infheistíochta ag leibhéal na Roinne, tá inmharthanacht scoileanna beaga oileáin níos daingne. Gabhann muid buíochas leis an Aire Kyne, T.D. a chabhraigh go mór le feachtas Scoil Náisiúnta Inis Meáin ina leith, agus a léirigh an-tacaíocht do chás na scoileanna beaga, inmharthanacht na n-oileán agus caomhnú na Gaeilge. Comhghairdeas leis na scoileanna a mbaineann an dea-scéal seo leo. Tá sé i gceist ag Gaeloideachas tabhairt faoi fheachtas stocaireachta ar cheist an chóimheasa sna scoileanna Gaeltachta agus lán-Ghaeilge lasmuigh den Ghaeltacht sna míonna atá romhainn.
