Parents frustrated over change of location for new Gaelscoil building

Dun Laoghaire’s newest school, Gaelscoil Laighean has yet find a permanent home after the Department of Education confirmed that the primary co-educational school will move into the former Dun Laoghaire Senior College building on Eblana Avenue.

Originally earmarked for the Blackrock or Booterstown area, the school is currently located in a small temporary building on Kill Lane in Deansgrange.

Parents had expressed their concern about the lack of communication they have received from the Department of Education regarding the school’s status.

However, the Department of Education said it had told the patron of the school, An Foras Pátrúnachta, that a permanent location had yet to be found but the patronage failed to communicate this with the parents.

Responding to a letter from a pupil’s parent, Fine Gael TD Jennifer Carroll MacNeil said: “I find it surprising and disappointing that the Patron Body hasn’t taken more urgent steps to communicate this with all of the key parties, especially parents.

“Obviously the Patron Body should communicate this with the Board of Management, the principal and parents in the appropriate way.”

It is understood that parents are frustrated about the lack of clarity on the location of the permanent site, combined with the new temporary location being around forty minutes away for many parents.

One parent, Noelle Regan said that the response from the Department of Education gave “no confirmed dates, no transparency, hiding behind commercial sensitivities repeatedly.

“Just constant rhetoric and no willingness to engage with parents who are living in this nightmare of not knowing where their child is going to be going to school.”

Fine Gael Senator Barry Ward said: “There is enormous demand for education through Irish, which is a very welcome development, particularly in an area like Dún Laoghaire, which has a long history – through schools like Scoil Lorcáin, Gaelscoil Phádraig, Coláiste Eoin and Coláiste Íosagáin – of Gaeloideachas.

“I am delighted that this tradition will continue, and in a part of the country where more people speak Irish on a daily basis than any other part of the country outside An Ghaeltacht.”