Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

69. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will consider establishing an independent Gaelcholáiste in Ennis, County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29938/24]

Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I am seeking the Minister's support for neamhspleáchas, or independence, for Gaelcholáiste an Chláir, which is operating as a unit, or an aonad, of Ennis Community College. That comes under the auspices of Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board, ETB. I was chairperson of that entity for many years and it was something we always strived for. There is once more a huge campaign for this to happen. Inniu, táim lán i bhfabhar an fheachtais agus ag iarraidh tacaíocht an Aire a fháil chun neamhspleáchas a thabhairt do Ghaelcholáiste an Chláir i mbaile na hInse.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. Since 2011, arrangements have been in place for the establishment of new schools involving the forecasting of demand for school places based on demographic exercises carried out by my Department. New schools are established only in areas of demographic growth because the resources available for school infrastructure have to be prioritised to ensure every child has a school place. These arrangements give an opportunity to patrons to apply for the patronage of new schools. The criteria used in deciding on the patronage of new schools place an emphasis on parental patronage and language preferences, either as Béarla ó as Gaeilge, and an analysis of existing provision, including Irish-medium provision, in the areas where the schools are to be established.

Most new post-primary schools must have a student enrolment capacity of 600 to 1,000 students. A lower threshold of 400 students may apply to Gaelcholáistí, having regard to the alternative of establishing an Irish-medium unit, or aonad, in an English-medium school. It is possible for any post-primary school patron to contact the Department to explore the establishment of an aonad in an existing school.

Work on the development of a new policy for Irish-medium education outside of the Gaeltacht is in progress in my Department. This policy will sit within the overall framework of the 20-year strategy for the Irish language and will build on the achievements of the policy on Gaeltacht education. Among the objectives for the new policy are exploring how opportunities for the establishment of Gaelscoileanna and Gaelcholáistí can be increased as part of the patronage process.

The Department has recently published a series of reports prepared by the SEALBHÚ research institute in Dublin City University, DCU, which will inform the development of the new policy. These reports include a review of international literature on education through the medium of minority languages, reports on the various stages of the public consultation undertaken by my Department to inform policy development, and a series of resulting policy proposals. In developing the new policy, the Department will draw on these reports, as well as information shared by stakeholders in bilateral meetings. The information will be considered in light of the existing provision for Irish-medium education and future projections of demand for the education system, as well as the Department’s budgetary and legislative context.

Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister.

Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for her comprehensive reply. This arose many times, as I said, in the Limerick and Clare ETB when I was chairman. One of the members was Dónal Ó hAiniféin. Thug sé sárthacaíocht don fheachtas chun neamhspleáchas a bhaint amach do bhaile na hInse agus don Ghaelcholáiste atá ann. Gaelcholáiste an Chláir opened in 1993 in order that children in Clare could receive their secondary education, including State examinations, through the medium of all Irish. The school, as I mentioned, operates as a unit, or aonad, of Ennis Community College. Everyone was delighted in 1993 when the unit began, but the founders always believed it would achieve independence within a matter of a few short years.

That was in 1993, more than 30 years ago. Séamus Ó Liatháin, who was chief executive of the then Clare vocational college and was one of those who led that campaign to found Gaelcholáiste an Chláir, was confident the Department would grant independence to this unit within a short period, around 1993 or 1994, but that never materialised. Sadly, despite everyone's efforts, in particular those of Dónal Ó hAiniféin, An Clár as Gaeilge and all the Irish movement people in the county, it still has not happened. We are still fighting for neamhspleáchas 30 years later and we would love if this could be reviewed by the Department.

Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I submitted a similar question to the Minister. Along with the points that have been mentioned, another point to note is that more than 700 students are in Gaelscoileanna in County Clare, over 200 of whom are in areas outside of Ennis, in Shannon, Moy and Kilrush. As the Gaelcholáiste is still just an aonad, all those students have been deprived access to the free transport scheme, which must be taken into consideration. On 2 October 2021, the Minister was considering the transition of Gaelcholáiste an Chláir from an aonad to an independent, stand-alone Gaelcholáiste. She mentioned the number of students. Clare has had a growth in population of 8%, much the same as has been seen nationally, but if we look at other Gaelcholáistí, one in Tralee, County Kerry, was established as an aonad with ten pupils in 1984 and achieved independence in 1989 with only 64 pupils in total.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As both Deputies noted, the Irish-medium provision in Ennis is currently provided by Gaelcholáiste an Chláir, which is an Irish-medium aonad within Ennis Community College. I welcome the level of enrolment in the aonad, at 116 students. It is fantastic that these students are taking up the opportunity to avail of their post-primary education through the medium of Irish. These students have benefited from the recently completed extension at Ennis Community College, which has provided excellent accommodation for all the students in the school community. There is capacity for further enrolment in the aonad, which is an important point. For the 2023-24 school year, 52 first year places were available in the aonad, for Irish-medium education, for which there were only 22 applications and only 16 accepted places. Those numbers are significant. A total of 52 places were available but only 22 pupils applied and only 16 accepted places in the aonad.

The Department has received correspondence, as outlined, from Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board proposing that Gaelcholáiste an Chláir become a stand-alone school.

Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister.

Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I get what the Minister is saying about enrolment, but I hope that if the level of enrolment increases, as I am confident it will, this will remain under review. The Minister has in recent weeks sanctioned a new school for Gaelscoil Donncha Rua in Shannon. The Irish language movement in the county is growing, as is the number of students taking on all-Irish education. We are specifically looking for neamhspleáchas, or independence, in order that the school will have its own roll book, principal, board of management and structure, and through that, it can continue to grow and grow.

I sit on the board of Gaelcholáiste Luimnigh, which has really thrived and been a success story but it got that through neamhspleáchas and through having its own identity. We really hope Clare will not remain an outlier and that it will get its own independent, or neamhspleách, Gaelcholáiste i mbaile na hInse. Tá Dónal Ó hAiniféin agus baill an chláir Gaeilge ag féachaint isteach ar an díospóireacht inniu. I hope that if the level of enrolment continues to increase, as I believe it will, this will be reviewed. We deserve a Gaelcholáiste. The Minister has visited the area. She opened that building and has supported it greatly, for which we are so grateful. I hope everything will remain fluid if the level of enrolment increases.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Department has received correspondence, as I said, from Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board proposing that Gaelcholáiste an Chláir become a stand-alone school. The enrolments in Gaelcholáiste an Chláir, as I outlined, do not currently appear to be at a level where a stand-alone Gaelcholáiste could be established and the majority of children leaving the Gaelscoil in Ennis are choosing English-medium post-primary education. In that context, certain clarifications and a more detailed proposal were requested from the ETB. That is important. We are showing an openness. We have identified the issue whereby 52 places were available but there were only 22 applicants, of whom only 16 accepted places. There is an openness from us to look at the detailed reply that may come from the ETB and the case it might make, to be solution focused and to drive forward with this.

I absolutely accept there is sár-obair ar siúl ann. There is great work going on there; great dedication. We want to make this possible but we must address the issues that have been highlighted.