Dáil debates

Tuesday, 2 November 2021

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate

Scoileanna Lán-Ghaeilge

10:15 pm

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as an ábhar seo a ardú. Tugann sé deis dom an seasamh maidir le háiteanna iar-bhunscoile trí mheán na Gaeilge i mBaile Átha Cliath a leagan amach don Teach. Úsáidfidh mé idir Ghaeilge agus Bhéarla sa ráiteas seo. Chun pleanáil a dhéanamh don soláthar scoile, agus anailís a dhéanamh ar na sonraí ábhartha, déanann mo Roinn an tír a roinnt i 314 limistéar pleanála scoile. Úsáidtear córas GIS le sonraí ó raon leathan foinsí le fáil amach cá dtiocfaidh an brú ar áiteanna scoile ar fud na tíre agus cá mbeidh gá le cóiríocht bhreise scoile ag leibhéal na bunscoile agus na hiar-bhunscoile.

Nuair a léiríonn na sonraí go bhfuil gá le soláthar breise ag leibhéal na bunscoile nó na hiar-bhunscoile, braitheann an soláthar breise sin ar na cúinsí áirithe a bhaineann le gach cás ar leith agus féadfar í a sholáthar trí na modhanna seo a leanas: úsáid a bhaint as acmhainn atá ann cheana i scoil nó scoileanna; acmhainn scoile nó scoileanna a leathnú agus scoil nó scoileanna nua a sholáthar. Déantar próiseas pátrúnachta a reáchtáil nuair a chinntear, bunaithe ar anailís agus ar fhianaise, go bhfuil gá le scoil nua. Bíonn an próiseas pátrúnachta seo oscailte do gach comhlacht pátrúin agus do phátrúin nua.

Rinne mo Roinn an próiseas pátrúnachta ar líne a fhorbairt chun faisnéis chruinn a sholáthar do thuismitheoirí a dtabharfaidh deis dóibh rogha eolach a dhéanamh maidir le pátrúnacht agus a rogha teanga teagaisc. Is é sin Gaeilge nó Béarla, do na scoileanna nua.

Parental preferences, as well as other considerations, such as the extent of diversity of provision in an area, including Irish-medium provision, are key to the decision-making process and whether a post-primary school would take the form of an Irish-medium Gaelcholáiste or whether that school, if English-medium, would include an Irish-medium unit or aonad.

Most new post-primary schools must have a student enrolment capacity of between 600 and 1,000 students. A lower threshold of 400 students may apply to Gaelcholáistí, having regard to the alternative of establishing an aonad within the school. Since April 2018, the Government has announced plans for the establishment of 47 new schools from 2019. This includes four new post-primary schools to serve the Dublin city-south Dublin area, two of which have been established as English-medium schools following a patronage process. Síltear go bhfuil dóthain áiteanna scoile sa ghearrthéarma ag na gaelcholáistí atá sa cheantar chun freastal ar an éileamh a tugadh faoi deara mar chuid de na próisis phátrúnachta a tharla le déanaí.

Cuirtear san áireamh freisin líon na ngaelscoileanna nua a osclaíodh le blianta beaga anuas nó atá beartaithe. Ach tá an cás á choinneáil faoi athbhreithniú gníomhach ag mo Roinn de réir mar a fhásann na scoileanna seo agus de réir mar a thagann méadú ar an líon daltaí rang 6 i ngaelscoileanna.

In 2014, two new Gaelcholáistí were established in Dublin city, namely, Gaelcholáiste an Phiarsaigh, in the Ballinteer-Stepaside area, and Coláiste Ghlór na Mara, in Balbriggan. The year of establishment, patronage model and language of instruction have yet to be determined for the new post-primary schools announced to serve the following school planning areas in south Dublin: Dublin 2-Dublin 4 and Sallynoggin-Killiney-Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown-Cherrywood.

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