Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I raise the pressing necessity of granting or designating independence to Gaelcholáiste An Chláir in Ennis. The matter is so pressing because the school first submitted its application in 1994. We can all agree that, 30 years on, it is high time it received that designation. There is an accommodation crisis in second level schools in Ennis. In fact, all schools locally, when surveyed by the education and training board, ETB, welcomed the establishment of an independent Gaelcholáiste. There are four Gaelscoileanna in the area at primary level, with approximately 700 pupils. Three of those schools are located outside Ennis, in Shannon, Moy and Kilrush. They are being deprived of access to the free school transport scheme because of their current designation as part of an English-medium school under the roll number of Ennis Community College. On 2 October 2021, the Minister, Deputy Foley, said the matter was under consideration. Can we move ahead with ensuring the school has a roll number and designation for the coming September?

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