Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. Since 2011, arrangements have been in place for the establishment of new schools involving the forecasting of demand for school places based on demographic exercises carried out by my Department. New schools are established only in areas of demographic growth because the resources available for school infrastructure have to be prioritised to ensure every child has a school place. These arrangements give an opportunity to patrons to apply for the patronage of new schools. The criteria used in deciding on the patronage of new schools place an emphasis on parental patronage and language preferences, either as Béarla ó as Gaeilge, and an analysis of existing provision, including Irish-medium provision, in the areas where the schools are to be established.

Most new post-primary schools must have a student enrolment capacity of 600 to 1,000 students. A lower threshold of 400 students may apply to Gaelcholáistí, having regard to the alternative of establishing an Irish-medium unit, or aonad, in an English-medium school. It is possible for any post-primary school patron to contact the Department to explore the establishment of an aonad in an existing school.

Work on the development of a new policy for Irish-medium education outside of the Gaeltacht is in progress in my Department. This policy will sit within the overall framework of the 20-year strategy for the Irish language and will build on the achievements of the policy on Gaeltacht education. Among the objectives for the new policy are exploring how opportunities for the establishment of Gaelscoileanna and Gaelcholáistí can be increased as part of the patronage process.

The Department has recently published a series of reports prepared by the SEALBHÚ research institute in Dublin City University, DCU, which will inform the development of the new policy. These reports include a review of international literature on education through the medium of minority languages, reports on the various stages of the public consultation undertaken by my Department to inform policy development, and a series of resulting policy proposals. In developing the new policy, the Department will draw on these reports, as well as information shared by stakeholders in bilateral meetings. The information will be considered in light of the existing provision for Irish-medium education and future projections of demand for the education system, as well as the Department’s budgetary and legislative context.

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