Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Tá a fhios agam, aontaím agus cloisim an pointe. We are trying to put this policy together and I mention the fact there were more than 10,000 submissions on it. Specific to that policy is to look at how we are supporting and how we will help to support and establish the Gaelscoil and the Gaelcholáiste going forward and what mechanisms we can use to support the growth of them. Maybe that will be part of it and maybe it will involve looking at the threshold of 400. Mr. Hanly or Ms Lyons have previously referenced how in cases where two national schools are being established, one of them will now automatically be an Irish-medium school and they can be predetermined. We are proactive in this space, therefore. I am not saying we have done everything and that there is not so much more we need to do but we are active in the space and we are doing all we can. We are looking at a vision for the future out of this policy, which we are anticipating will be completed by September 2024, and it may well include some of the points the Deputy has raised there.

I refer to the Cathaoirleach's point on Coláiste Íosagáin and Coláiste Eoin and I accept his personal familiarity with it. On those three schools, including Coláiste an Phiarsaigh, and on the space there, I will defer to the planning and building unit but the patron in Coláiste Íosagáin and Coláiste Eoin has committed to this technical assessment but I cannot say what will come out of it.