Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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421. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of progress of a Gaelcholáiste (details supplied); the efforts made by her Department to provide an adequate and permanent school premise to accommodate the needs of both current and future pupils; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48337/21]

Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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422. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the failure to provide a suitable and permanent school building for the parents, guardians and students of a Gaelscoileanna (details supplied) in view of the commitment in the Programme for Government to implement the 20-year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030 and Action Plan; her views on whether this failure contravenes the commitment within the stated strategy to ensure a high standard of all-Irish education will be provided to school students whose parents and guardians so wish and that Gaelscoileanna will continue to be supported at primary level and all-Irish provision at post-primary level will be developed to meet follow-on demand; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48338/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 421 and 422 together.

The provision of Irish-medium education is a priority for my Department and this Government, and we share a strong commitment to increasing the number of Irish-medium places available and providing suitable accommodation in this regard.

As the Deputy may be aware, I approved a proposal for a new satellite model of Irish-medium post-primary provision to be piloted in Dundalk. The model involves a satellite/Dundalk-based campus of An Foras Pátrúnachta’s Balbriggan Gaelcholáiste – Coláiste Ghlór na Mara.

This pilot offers parents in Dundalk a new choice for Irish-medium provision, in addition to existing provision provided by schools in the area. The learning from the pilot may assist in the potential development of an enduring policy/approach for the application of this model elsewhere, subject to successful review.

The patron of Coláiste Ghlór na Mara decided to defer the opening of the Dundalk campus to September 2022 and is progressing arrangements, including putting in place the necessary accommodation arrangements, in this regard.