Minister on collision course with gaelscoileanna [Independent.ie]
- Published: 03 May 2011
EDUCATION Minister Ruairi Quinn faces a showdown with the country's growing number of gaelscoileanna over controversial proposals for setting up new primary schools.
They claim plans for approving schools in the future will not protect the minority position of all-Irish education.
And they dismiss as unworkable a suggestion that the issue could be dealt with by setting up all-Irish units within English-medium schools.
The proposals are contained in a new report done for the Department of Education by the Commission of School Accommodation.
Objections have been lodged by Gaelscoileanna Teo, a support body for 139 Irish primary schools in the Republic, and An Foras Patrunachta, a patron of 57 Irish language schools.
The commission reviewed the procedures for the setting up of new primary schools in light of the rapid population growth and demand from parents for greater diversity.
It was concerned with the question of physical need for a new school, which is separate, although linked, to patronage -- the matter of who runs the schools.
Primary school pupil numbers are predicted to grow by 64,000 by 2018, some of whom will be accommodated in existing schools. However, there will be a need for new schools in areas that have grown rapidly in recent years, such as west Dublin.
Current rules allow for a new primary school to be established once 17 pupils have been identified, but the new plans will require higher minimum numbers and up to three class streams for each year.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
