Outrage at proposal to replace Gealscoileanna with Irish units [mayonews.ie]
- Published: 17 May 2011
The Government is threatening to undermine Co Mayo’s gaelscoileanna by preventing the establishment of Irish-speaking schools, and proposing to create of ‘Irish units’ in English-speaking schools. That is the view of Irish-language author and school teacher Colmán Ó Raghallaigh, who spoke to The Mayo News last week.
A number of gaelscoileanna in Co Mayo are demanding talks with Minister for Education Ruairi Quinn over the controversial new proposals for Irish-speaking schools. Claremorris native O Raghallaigh says these latest proposals provide evidence that there is an “open hostility” towards gaelscoileanna.
The proposals are contained in a new report produced for the Department of Education by the Commission of School Accommodation. In the report, it is stated that the minority position of all-Irish education will not be protected when schools are approved in the future. Another proposal controversially cites the possible creation of all-Irish units within English speaking schools.
The report was commissioned after concerns were made about the population growth in Irish schools, which is predicted to rise by more than 60,000 over the next seven years. Present legislation means that a new primary school can be established once it has at least 17 students. However, new proposals will significantly increase this figure, and incorporate three streams for each year.
With reference to the idea of the specially designated ‘Irish units’ in English-speaking schools, Ó Raghallaigh says children in those units would feel compelled to speak English if the majority of the children in the school were doing so. He said the idea ‘would do more harm than good’, adding: “Irish units in English-speaking schools is a non-runner because all best linguistic practice shows that minority languages cannot thrive in such an environment.”
Full Story: www.mayonews.ie
