Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy is correct. Where there is a desire to set up a school, the normal criteria is that it should have between a 600 and 1,000 pupil level available to it within the community. However, for the Gaelcholáistí, 400 is required. The aonaid are open to any school. They are entitled to approach the Department with the request to establish an aonad within the existing school.

I know and accept that it is not everybody's preference in terms of the aonaid, and we had this discussion previously at committee, but there are opportunities maybe for us to look at how the aonaid could be supported in schools and how the differentiation between the main school and the aonad could work. The strategy is currently being worked on for oideachas Gaeilge lasmuigh den Ghaeltacht. A singular key focus of that is how to best support the growth of the Gaelscoileanna and Gaelcholáistí.

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