Minister answers questions on Southside Gaelcholáiste

Darren J Prior

MINISTER for Education Norma Foley appeared before the Oireachtas Coiste na Gaeilge, na Gaeltachta agus Phobal Labhartha na Gaeilge (the Oireachtas Irish Language, Gaeltacht and Irish speakers Community Committee) in Leinster House on Wednesday, June 14, to give an update to Oireachtas members on the progress of the first ever state Polasaí don Oideachas Lán-Ghaeilge (Policy for Irish Language-Medium Education) which is being undertaken by her department, and to answer questions related to the Irish language in education in general.

At the meeting, Minister Foley revealed that her aim is for the policy to be launched and brought into operation in September 2024.

And she also confirmed that the policy will encompass the pre-school or Naíonraí sector; third level as well as primary level Gaelscoileanna and Gaelcholáistí.

Considerable time was spent at the meeting by Oireachtas members seeking more assurances that the state will, in the not-too-distant future, be able to meet the demand for setting up primary and second-level Gaelscoileanna across the state.

The campaign seeking to establish a Gaelcholáiste in the Dublin 2,4,6,8 region in particular was brought up by local Dublin Bay South Chris Andrews TD who pointed out to Min. Foley that there are six primary level Gaelscoileanna and twenty English language-medium secondary schools in the region but there is not even one Gaelcholáiste.

According to Min. Foley and officials from her department at the meeting there is currently some available places in Gaelcholáiste an Phiarsaigh in Rathfarnham and there are currently technical assessments being carried out in Coláiste Eoin and Coláiste Íosagáin in Booterstown with the hope of being able to expand their schools.

In response to Min. Foley, Chris Andrews TD (pictured above) said: “Going to Rathfarnham or Coláiste Íosagáin or Coláiste Eoin is not going to happen for many of the students living in the inner city.

“It’s great to hear so many young kids from the inner city speaking Irish.

“The Government talks about a fifteen minute city. If you’re expecting young children to travel you are not going to get to Rathfarnham in fifteen minutes.

“To expect young families to manage to make their way to Rathfarnham is just not realistic”.

A new secondary school was planned to open in 2021 in the Dublin 2 and 4 area but the progress in opening the school has been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A patron body for this school has not been announced yet.

It is possible that the school will be a Gaelcholáiste.

If it is not parents in the Dublin 2, 4, 6 and 8 area may have to wait until the launch of the Polasaí don Oideachas Lan-Ghaeilge next year to discover if the process of setting up new Gaelcholáistí is going to be made easier and faster.