Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. Primary and post-primary education has a pivotal role to play in the preservation and expansion of the Irish language. The promotion of Irish has been an important aim of successive Governments and its place in our education system has been consistently protected. This is reflected in the fact that for the 2012-13 school year, there were 142 Gaelscoileanna in operation. A further three Gaelscoileanna commenced operation during this school year. There are also 104 all-Irish Gaeltacht primary schools and 928 primary schools where, apart from Irish itself, one or more subjects is taught through the medium of Irish.

At post-primary level, there were 45 Gaelchóláistí in operation for the 2012-13 school. Three more Gaelchóláistí are due to open in September 2014 under new arrangements introduced by the Minister, Deputy Quinn. There were also 11 all-Irish Aonads in post-primary schools and there are nine post-primary schools where, apart from Irish itself, one or more subject is taught through the medium of Irish. Two more Irish Aonads are being established in post-primary schools next year.

As the Deputy will be aware, in June 2011, the Minister, Deputy Quinn, announced that 20 new primary and 20 new post-primary schools would be established across a number of locations. The Minister also announced new arrangements for the recognition and determination of patronage of these new primary and post-primary schools. The new arrangements provide a balanced approach to allow for prospective patrons to apply to establish schools. The criteria to be used in deciding on patronage of the new schools place a particular emphasis on parental demand, to which the Deputy referred, that also includes preference for all-Irish school provision.

Since the new arrangements were introduced, parental preference has emerged to support the establishment of three new Gaelscoileanna and these have commenced operation. Furthermore, as part of the patronage determination process for the new post-primary schools, the Department proactively examined all-Irish provision at post-primary level in the areas where the new schools are to be established. It predetermined a requirement for all-Irish provision in three of the areas concerned. These schools will commence operation in 2014. In addition, it is open to new English-medium post-primary schools to establish an all-Irish aonad if there is sufficient parental demand to support such a development.

The Deputy will be aware that the report on the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector, the establishment of which was a key objective in the programme for Government, was published by the Minister in April 2012. As a follow-up to the outcome of the forum, surveys of parental preferences with regard to the patronage of primary schools were conducted by the Department in 43 areas across the country. Sufficient parental demand for a wider choice of school patron emerged in 28 of the 43 areas surveyed. One of these areas demonstrated sufficient demand for an Irish-language national school. Some 35 of the 43 areas surveyed are already served by a Gaelscoil. Discussions are ongoing with the Catholic patrons in the areas concerned to make progress on this matter.

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