Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Tá mé ag iarraidh déileáil le ceist Gaelcholáiste 2, 4, 6, 8 agus an drochnuacht a fuarthas le déanaí nach bhfuil an bord bainistíochta ar Choláiste CBS ar Shráid Synge sásta leis an gcinneadh a glacadh agus go bhfuil siad ag tarraingt siar uaidh. Tá mé ag iarraidh soiléirithe ón Aire maidir leis seo. I am seeking clarity regarding the issue of Gaelcholáiste 2, 4, 6, 8. Díreach roimh an toghchán, fógraíodh go mbeadh athrú ag teacht agus go mbeadh Gaelcholáiste ann. Bhí gliondar ar gach uile duine go mbeadh, sa deireadh thiar thall, oideachas meánscolaíochta trí Ghaeilge ar fáil in 2026 do na daltaí ar fad atá ag teacht amach ó rang a sé ó scoileanna cosúil le Bhunscoil Synge Street, Gaelscoil Inse Chór, Gaelscoil Lios na nÓg, Gaelscoil Eoin agus Scoil Bhríde.

Bhí na daltaí, na clanna agus iad siúd a bhí taobh thiar den fheachtas ag tnúth leis an athrú seo. Feachtas an-bhríomhar a bhí ann - bhí siad lasmuigh de Thithe an Oireachtais go minic agus iad breá bríomhar. Bhí na daltaí ag súil leis go mbeadh Gaelcholáiste acu ionas go mbeidís in ann leanúint lena dturas oideachasúil, bunaithe ar an tumoideachas sna Gaelscoileanna ina rabhadar ó thús báire. Bhí sé i gceist go mbeidís in ann bogadh isteach i meánscoil nua, ag tosú i mbliain a haon i mí Mheán Fómhair 2026. Is trua é go bhfuil sé cloiste againn anois go bhfuil seans ann nach dtarlóidh sé sin. Tá mé ag lorg soiléiriú ón Aire maidir leis an gceist seo toisc nach raibh cruinnithe ag an Roinn leis an bhfeachtas nó leis na tuismitheoirí ón am gur fhoilsíodh an fhógra, rud nár tharla ró-fhada ó shin.

Bhí daoine ag tnúth leis an Gaelcholáiste nua seo ar an seansuíomh ar Shráid Synge. Tuigim go raibh fadhbanna ann, ach bíonn fadhbanna ann i gcónaí nuair atá athrú i gceist. An bhfuil an Roinn tar éis féachaint ar shuíomhanna eile sa cheantar? Cad atá déanta ag an Roinn ón uair a cuireadh in iúl nach bhfuil an CBS sásta athrú ón Bhéarla go dtí an Ghaeilge sa chás seo? An bhfuil an Roinn tar éis féachaint ar shuíomhanna oiriúnacha eile don scoil seo? An raibh an Roinn i dteagmháil leis an bhfeachtas agus leis na tuismitheoirí a bhí ag tnúth leis an nGaelcholáiste nua? Bhí roinnt dóibh tar éis a rá lena bpáistí go raibh an Gaelcholáiste seo ag teacht. Cad go díreach atá déanta? An féidir leis an Aire a chinntiú go n-osclóidh an Gaelcholáiste seo le haghaidh Baile Átha Cliath 2, 4, 6, 8 i mí an Mheithimh an bhliain seo chugainn mar a dúradh ag an am? Cinnteodh sé seo sa deireadh thiar thall go bhfuil bealach ann do pháistí leanúint leo ag fáil oideachas trí Ghaeilge mar a chreidimse go bhfuil sé de cheart acu. Níl aon scoil dara leibhéal eile sa cheantar le haghaidh go leor de na paistí as na Gaelscoileanna atá luaite agam, atá ag iarraidh leanúint leis an nGaeloideachas. Bíonn orthu casadh ar an mBéarla. Cuireann sé brú ollmhór ar dhaltaí ag aois 12 nuair is gá dóibh athrú iomlán a dhéanamh ón teanga oideachasúil atá acu. Is minic go gcailleann siad cuid dá gcairde scoile toisc go dtéann roinnt dóibh i dtreo amháin agus roinnt i dtreo eile. Tá súil agam go bhfuil an tAire in ann an soiléiriú sin a thabhairt.

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Táim ag freagairt an cheist seo ar son an Aire, an Teachta McEntee. I thank Deputy Ó Snodaigh for raising this matter which provides me with the opportunity to clarify to the House, on behalf of the Minister, Deputy McEntee, the position regarding the Gaelcholáiste for Dublin 2, 4, 6 and 8.

The Department is fully supportive of and remains committed to the establishment of a Gaelcholáiste in the Dublin south city area. The Department of Education is currently working with the Edmund Rice Schools Trust to ensure continued and clear engagement on the successful transition of Synge Street CBS from a single-sex, English-medium school to a co-educational Gaelcholáiste on a phased basis from September 2026.

There has been a growing need for a Gaelcholáiste in Dublin south city to service the Gaelscoileanna in the area, including Bunscoil Synge, which is located beside Synge Street CBS and transitioned from an English-medium national school to a Gaelscoil in recent years. Synge Street CBS is well positioned to meet the growing demand for a co-educational Gaelcholáiste in the Dublin 2, 4, 6 and 8 area. It is a welcome addition to the variety and diversity of school choice at post-primary level in the Dublin south city area.

Work is ongoing in the Department on the development of a new policy on Irish-medium education outside of the Gaeltacht. The development of this policy is informed by the comprehensive consultation process conducted by the Department, as well as international research. This policy will build upon what is currently being achieved under the policy on Gaeltacht education to support the provision of education through the medium of Irish in Gaeltacht areas. It will focus on providing high-quality, Irish-medium education and increasing the proportion of learners receiving their education through Irish.

The Minister also intends to launch a survey of primary school communities in the coming months. This survey will ensure we have a greater picture as to what our plans need to be into the future. It is planned that the survey will ask parents for their preference for the language of educational provision in their children’s school - English or Irish. The results of the survey will help us plan how we provide education at primary level into the future. This initiative along with other work will help the Department identify opportunities for increasing Irish-medium provision at primary and post-primary levels.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Is maith an rud é go bhfuil an Roinn go huile is go hiomlán ceangailte leis an gcoimitmint atá fógraithe maidir leis an nGaelcholáiste seo a bheith bunaithe laistigh de dheisceart lár na cathrach. Tá súil agam go mbeidh sé ar an suíomh seo. Mura bhfuil, caithfear féachaint ar phlean B toisc go bhfuil sé ráite go hoscailte ag roinnt dóibh siúd i mbainistíocht na scoile ar Shráid Synge faoi láthair nach bhfuil sé i gceist acu é seo a dhéanamh. Tá súil agam go mbeidh an Roinn in ann déileáil leo agus a rá go bhfuil sé seo ag dul ar aghaidh. Má tá sé ag dul ar aghaidh, tá jab eile le déanamh. Tá fhios agam go raibh ailtirí na Ranna ar an suíomh ag féachaint ar an bhfoirgneamh agus ar na rudaí gur chóir díriú isteach orthu. Bheadh sé deacair do dhá scoil - scoil Ghaeilge agus scoil Bhéarla - a bheith ar an suíomh ceannann céanna gan leithreas ann do chailíní nó do mhná. Níl saotharlann ann don eacnamaíocht bhaile nó don fhisic beo. Níl seomra inacmhainne nó seomra RSO ann.

Tá rudaí ar leith gur gá a dhéanamh má tá an Gaelcholáiste nua le bheith ar oscailt i mí Mheán Fómhair 2026. Tá rudaí gur gá dóibh tarlúint an samhradh seo - summer works projects - nuair nach bhfuil an scoil ar oscailt. Más gá athruithe a dhéanamh ar an bhfoirgneamh nó ar an gclós leis an dá scoil a scarúint, ba chóir go mbeadh sé sin ag tosú i mbliana, agus tuilleadh oibre le déanamh arís an bhliain seo chugainn. Thar an tréimhse atá againn, níos lú ná bliain go leith, tá obair mhór le déanamh leis an suíomh a chur in oiriúint ionas go mbeidh dhá scoil ar an suíomh sin ag an am céanna fad is atá siad ag aistriú ó Bhéarla go Gaeilge thar tréimhse sé bliana.

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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As outlined, the Department is and remains fully committed to the establishment of a Gaelcholáiste in the Dublin south city area and is working with the Edmund Rice Schools Trust on the successful transition of Synge Street CBS to a co-educational Gaelcholáiste on a phased basis from September 2026. I will ask the Minister to come back directly to the Deputy if he needs clarity on any specific questions. The Department is currently working with the Edmund Rice Schools Trust to ensure there is continued and clear engagement with the school in question on the successful transition to a co-educational Gaelcholáiste on a phased basis. Officials from the Department along with officials from ASTI head office are to meet in the coming weeks with the senior management and teaching staff of the school to discuss the professional learning and deployment options available to them. I will ask the Minister to come back to the Deputy.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Would the Minister be willing to meet members of the campaign group or at least get her officials to meet them? They have been abandoned since last September. There should be a meeting so that they can address some of the questions I asked.

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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With whom?

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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With the campaign group - the parents and those who have been involved from the start.

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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I will raise that with the Minister. I cannot answer for her but I am sure everything is happening within the Department. I will relate that back.