Carol Nolan
Ceist:111. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of second-level aonaid which provide education through the medium of Irish here; and the location of each. [11220/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraWednesday, 6 March 2019
Ceisteanna (111, 112, 113)
Carol Nolan
Ceist:112. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to increase the number of Gaelcholáistí and aonaid here. [11221/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraCarol Nolan
Ceist:113. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the establishment of a Gaelcholáiste or aonaid in Tullamore, County Offaly has been considered. [11222/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions 111 to 113, inclusive, together.
As part of the 20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030, my Department has committed to creating opportunities for expanding Irish-medium education outside the Gaeltacht in the context of the establishment of 42 new schools from 2019 to 2022, which will afford particular consideration to the establishment of Gaelscoileanna, Gaelcholáistí, and Aonaid Lán-Ghaeilge as part of the new patronage process. My Department is also continuing to work with stakeholders to further develop policy in this regard at post-primary level and met recently with Gaeloideachas and other stakeholders.
Following the April 2018 announcement of the establishment of 42 new schools from 2019 to 2022, my Department has developed a new Online Patronage Process System, which provides objective information and allows parents to express their preferences in relation to the patronage and language of instruction, i.e. Irish or English, of these new schools. Parental preferences, as well as other considerations such as the extent of diversity of provision in an area (including Irish-medium provision), are key to the decision-making process.
This has resulted in patronage of three of the 13 primary schools to be established in 2019 being awarded to An Foras Pátrúnachta as Irish-medium Gaelscoileanna in the Booterstown_Blackrock; Drumcondra_Marino_Dublin 1; and Maynooth school planning areas.
Separately, a new post-primary Gaelcholáiste will be established in Maynooth in September 2019.
Details of schools that provide education through the medium of Irish are available on my Department's website www.education.ie.
While the recent new schools announcement did not include a new post-primary school for Tullamore, the requirement for new schools is being kept under on-going review and in particular will have regard for the increased roll-out of housing provision as outlined in Project Ireland 2040.