The Mayor of Clare insists “the opportunity will arise” for the establishment of an independent Gaelcholáiste in this county.
It comes as the Minister for Education and Youth has poured cold water on the prospect of a stand-alone Irish langauge secondary school here.
With Gaelcholáiste an Chláir in Ennis the only Irish-medium secondary school in Clare, campaigners have long called for an independent school to be set up.
The Ennis school forms part of Ennis Community College, and for this reason, some subjects are taught through English, the two schools share a principal, and the Gaelcholáiste can’t access particular Irish language education funding streams.
Responding to a parliamentary question from Bodyke Fine Gael TD Joe Cooney, Minister for Education and Youth, Hildegarde Naughton says there’s “sufficient existing and oncoming post primary school capacity to meet the forecasted school place needs, including the completed expansion of Ennis Community College”.
She says “while school places will continue to be kept under review, there are currently no plans to establish a new school to meet demographic requirements in County Clare”.
Mayor of Clare, Corofin Fianna Fáil Councillor Joe Killeen, has previously received full council support for a motion calling on the department to progress plans for an independent Gaelcholáiste in Clare.
He says the campaign must continue.
Ennis musician and Irish language enthusiast Cathy Potter wrote to Clare’s Government TDs last month asking for the shortfalls in Irish language education to be addressed.
She claims the minister’s response isn’t “forward-looking” and believes if campaigners continue to apply pressure, they’ll achieve their goal.
Listen to the full interview here
