Commenting on her decision the Minister said: “The demand for Irish-Medium education continues to grow, even though the overall number of young people in our schools is falling.
“Despite this fact, we need to plan more strategically for the provision of Irish-Medium education and it is for this reason that a review is currently underway; a review that I hope will bring forward bold proposals on how to support this growing sector.
“I have agreed to the closure of this Irish-Medium Unit as enrolments have fallen to only four, following the opening of an Irish Medium school nearby in Omagh. I believe it is not in the best educational interests of these pupils for the Unit to remain open.
“My hope is that the review of Irish-Medium education will provide for a sector with long-term stability that meets the needs and wishes of those who choose an Irish-Medium education for their children.”
Notes to Editors:
- St Patrick’s Primary School is a co-educational, maintained primary school, which opened in 1958 in the village of Gortin, approximately 10 miles north of Omagh.
- At the request of the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS) the Western Education and Library Board (WELB) published Development Proposal No 192 on 3 May 2007 to the effect that The Irish Medium Unit at St Patrick’s Maintained Primary School should close with effect from 31 August 2007 or as soon as possible thereafter. The statutory two-month period for objections ended on 3 July 2007.
- The 2006/07 enrolment in the Irish-medium unit was four. The total school enrolment in 2006/07 was 81 overall.
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