Thread: Irish Medium Education

CONTEXT: In 2006/07, there were 3,660 children at Irish-medium schools. This increased to 5,873 last year – up 60.46%. Comhairle na Gaelscolaíochta predicts that by 2021, there will be 7,220 children receiving education through the medium of Irish – a rise of 97.23% in 15 years.

We have heard the argument that Gaelcholáiste Dhoire opened their doors with 16 pupils 3 years ago. The school now has 120 pupils, and by 2025 Dungiven Castle will educate around 500 pupils entirely through the medium of Irish.

If there had been a DUP Ed Minister 3 years ago, this transformational school may never have opened, & consequently a whole generation of Irish speakers would have been denied opportunity to access their entitlement under the Ed order & the statutory obligation stemming from it.

Irish Medium schools should not have to hold their breath when the Ministerial merry-go-round comes about again. Clear and unambiguous legal obligations should be part of any agreement and not left to the whim or interpretation of any minister or party.

No politician, or anyone else, has the right to tell these young people that their language does not exist in law; that they are invisible.