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

I thank the Deputies for raising this matter as it provides me with the opportunity to outline to the House the position on the extent of all-Irish school provision in the north Kildare area. Three Gaelscoileanna were established at primary level in north Kildare to meet demand for instruction through the medium of Irish, Scoil Chearbhaill Uí Dháiligh in Leixlip, Gaelscoil Chill Cóca in Kilcock and Scoil Uí Fhiach in Maynooth, while in nearby Lucan, two new 16-classroom school buildings have been provided for Gaelscoil Naomh Pádraig and Gaelscoil Eiscir Riada.

I am aware that one of the Gaelscoileanna recently applied to my Department to expand its accommodation. As with any application for capital investment, the assessment process will necessarily take into account overall enrolments and the extent of the existing and planned school accommodation in the area where the school is located. My Department is currently liaising with the patron of the school in question and a decision will be conveyed to the school authorities when this process has been finalised.

At post-primary level, the Deputies will be aware that in July 2012, the Minister, Deputy Quinn, announced the patronage of 14 new post-primary schools to be established to cater for increasing demographic changes across a number of locations. This included the Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board as patron of a new post-primary school for Maynooth to commence operation in September 2014.

One of the requirements for patronage of new post-primary schools where the medium of instruction is English, is a willingness and commitment to open an Aonad in the school if there is a significant element of parental demand for instruction through the medium of Irish. In the case of Maynooth, the Department noted the high level of parental demand identified for alternative language provision. Accordingly, the announcement included the establishment of an Aonad in the new Maynooth post-primary school. In addition, my Department has confirmed that if sufficient demand for education through the medium of Irish in the Aonad is demonstrated over a four-year cycle, consideration will then be given to the establishment of an independent Gaelchóláiste. I expect that this Aonad, together with provision in Cóláiste Cois Life, can between them meet the current demand for students seeking instruction through the medium of Irish.

The Department of Education and Skills is forecasting an increase nationally by 2019 of over 70,000 primary pupils and over 35,000 post-primary pupils. To meet the needs of our growing population of school-going children, the delivery of new schools together with extension projects will be the main focus for capital investment in the coming years. Considerable investment has already been made in the north Kildare area in recent years to meet the demographic challenges, including significant all-Irish provision at both primary and post-primary level. My Department will continue to keep the demographics of the area under review and additional accommodation requirements will be met under this process in consultation with the patrons of the schools concerned as appropriate.

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