Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 9 July 2014
100. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which he expects to be a position to make provision for a gaelcholáiste in County Kildare over the next three years; the degree to which he has received representations from the representative parents in this regard; if new cognisance will be taken of the needs arising from the expanding population; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30015/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has not, to date, received any formal submission from parents in relation to the provision of a Gaelcholáiste for county Kildare. The Department's current five-year construction plan is focused on meeting demographic demands to ensure that every child will have access to a physical school place and that our school system is in a position to accommodate increasing pupil numbers. Therefore, the establishment of any new school is considered in the context of the overall need for additional school places to meet future demographic demands and is advanced in line with an objective process and criteria for determining patronage and language medium of instruction. As the Deputy will be aware a new post-primary school will open in county Kildare this coming September. This school will have an all-Irish Aonad. My Department has confirmed that if sufficient demand for education through the medium of Irish in the Aonad is demonstrated over a four-year cycle, the establishment of an independent Gaelchóláiste will be considered.
