Michael Comiskey (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Go raibh math agat, a Chathaoirligh. I welcome the Minister of State to the House.

Gaelscoil Chnoc na Ré opened in 1996 in order to meet the demand in Sligo for primary education taught through the medium of Irish. Gaelscoil Chnoc na Ré is the only all-Irish school in the Sligo catchment area. The first class had an enrolment of 22 children enrolled and now 192 children attend. The school has been located in temporary accommodation since its inception and has been located at St. Mary's GAA club since 1999. There are 13 primary schools in the County Sligo catchment area, including Gaelscoil Chnoc na Ré.

In 2013 the school authorities sought permission from the Department to introduce a second stream, to expand from one to two junior infants classes in September 2014. The Department will not allow the school to take in the second class, a decision that means the school is limited, according to its admissions policy, to accepting one class of 30 pupils this year. As almost all of the 30 children are siblings of children already in the school, the gaelscoil will be forced to turn away 29 children of parents who are seeking education through the medium of Irish as the preferred option for their children.