Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Wednesday, 14 June 2023
Joint Committee on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Irish Speaking Community
An tÉileamh don Ghaeloideachas: an Roinn Oideachais
Chris Andrews (Dublin Bay South, Sinn Fein)
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I thank Ms Lyons for that. Clearly, Coláiste Íosagáin and Coláiste Eoin are at capacity. Rathfarnham is not realistic, to expect young children to travel. The Government talks about a 15-minute city and everything being within a 15-minute journey. If you expect young children to travel, they are not going to get to Rathfarnham in 15 minutes. Even in Rathfarnham, it is hard to get through Rathfarnham in 15 minutes particularly during winter when the weather is miserable. To expect young families to make their way to Rathfarnham is not realistic. I appreciate what the Minister has said but when you see six Gaelscoileanna in Dublin 2, 4, 6 and 8 and no Gaelcholáiste, it does not seem to make sense. I have heard the point made that we have spare capacity. Am I correct in saying the Minister has said the figures are not there to fill a Gaelcholáiste if one were to be established? In addition, if there were to be a new patronage of a secondary school, would the Minister consider a Gaelcholáiste for that new patronage?