New schools to open on the Southside

Dublin People 15 Sep 2018

Liam Ó Maoldúin (6) and Hanna Jiang (7), both pupils at Gaelscoil Sliabh Rua, Dublin 18, are pictured as An Foras Pátrúnachta announce that they intend to apply for patronage for 13 new primary schools.

A TOTAL of eight new primary schools are due to open in Dublin next year with several earmarked for the Southside.

An Foras Pátrúnachta (AFP), the largest patron of Irish-medium schools in the country, announced last week that it intends to apply for the patronage of the new primary schools that were confirmed by the Department of Education and Skills earlier this year.

Eight of the primary schools to open in 2019 will be in Dublin, with two in Kildare and one each in Wicklow, Meath and Cork. The Southside schools will include Booterstown/Blackrock; Dublin 6 (Clonskeagh) and Dublin 6W; and Goatstown/Stillorgan.

The process for awarding patronage of these schools will be confirmed by the Department of Education and Skills and is based around parental demand and provision of choice.

The announcement by AFP was made at an event to mark the launch of its Gaelscoil4All campaign which aims to ensure all children in Ireland have the option to attend a gaelscoil.

General Secretary, Caoimhín Ó hEaghra, said: “The demand for places in Gaelscoileanna continues to grow at a rapid rate with many of our schools oversubscribed.

“We hear regularly from parents who wish they could send their child to an Irish-medium school but don’t have that option available to them.

“It is fitting that we’re launching this campaign during Bliain na Gaeilge, the year-long, State-supported programme to celebrate 125 years of the revival of the Irish language.

“Our vision is to provide all children with the opportunity to access Irish-medium education of the highest quality.”