Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

754. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will ensure the number of students attending Irish-medium education is increased from 6.7% to 20% in the next 20 years in line with the objectives within the Official Languages (Amendment) Act 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1317/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Work on the development of a new policy for Irish-medium education outside of the Gaeltacht is under way in my Department. A public consultation process is currently being undertaken to seek the views of interested stakeholders. The information gathered during the public consultation, along with research commissioned by my Department, will inform the development of the new policy.

The key objectives of the policy are in accordance with the 20-Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030 and the Programme for Government 2020 and include, among other things:

- increasing the proportion of children and young people attending Irish-medium schools, including by building on the foundations laid in Irish-medium early learning and care settings (for example, naíonraí)

- exploring how opportunities for the establishment of Gaelscoileanna and Gaelcholáistí can be increased as part of the patronage process.

Increasing the number of pupils and students who attend Irish-medium education will be an important measure in increasing the potential labour force of applicants who will be available as the public service aims to ensure that 20% of new recruits to public bodies will be competent in the Irish language by the end of 2030. 

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

755. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will ensure a new Gaelcholáiste will be established within five years in any school area that has a Gaelscoil, but does not already have a Gaelcholáiste; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1318/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I wish to advise the Deputy that requirements for additional school places is kept under on-going review in the context of available information on population, enrolments and residential development activity. 

In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a Geographical Information System, using data from a range of sources, including Child Benefit and school enrolment data, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise and where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level.

Where demographic data indicates that additional provision is required, the delivery of such additional provision is dependent on the particular circumstances of each case and may, be provided through: 

- Utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools,

- Extending the capacity of a school or schools,

- Provision of a new school or schools.   

A patronage process is run after it has been decided, based on demographic analysis, that a new school is required.  An Online Patronage Process System (OPPS) provides objective information to parents in the relevant school planning areas to assist them in making an informed choice about their preferred model of patronage and language of instruction for the new school.  

Parents access the OPPS website, which allows them to access the appropriate survey for their area, to input the details of the eligible child(ren) and to select their preferred patron and language of instruction (where applicable).  Parental preferences from parents of children who reside in the school planning areas concerned, together with the extent of diversity currently available in these areas, are key to decisions in relation to the outcome of the process.

Following their consideration of my Department’s assessment reports, the New Schools Establishment Group (NSEG) submits a report with recommendations to me for consideration and final decision. The NSEG is an external independent advisory group which was set up in 2011 to advise me on the patronage of new schools. The assessment reports and the NSEG recommendations for all such patronage processes are made available on my Department's website.

The Department will continue to liaise with the each Local Authority in respect of their County Development Plan and any associated Local Area Plans with a view to identifying any potential long-term school accommodation requirements across school planning areas.