Ruane approves Funding for new Irish-Medium Primary School

Education Minister, Caitríona Ruane, has approved a Development Proposal for the establishment of a new grant-aided, Irish-medium primary school in Derry.

The school, located in the Branch and Springtown area, will be known as Gaelscoil na Daroige.

Commenting on the decision, Ms Ruane said: "Both the Good Friday Agreement and the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages recognise the importance of linguistic diversity and place obligations on governments to protect and encourage languages of the various communities.

“The Department of Education has statutory duties regarding the development of Irish- medium education, which has seen a growth in demand in recent years. I am content that the strong support from parents in the area will ensure the necessary intakes will be met to make Gaelscoil na Daroige a successful school and I have, therefore, decided to award conditional approval of grant-aided status to the school.

“I have noted that Comhairle Na Gaelscolaíochta (CnaG) identified an increase in demand for Irish-medium education in Derry and supported the development proposal. In addition, there is a demand for Irish-medium pre-school provision, from which children can progress to a gaelscoil.

“I wish the school every success in the future in delivering a quality education for its pupils through the medium of Irish.”

Notes to Editors:

1. On 24 June 2009, the Western Education and Library Board published Development Proposal Number 209, which again proposes that a new grant-aided, Irish-medium primary school be established in the Branch and Springtown area of Derry from 1 September 2009 or as soon as possible thereafter. The statutory two-month consultation period ended on 24 August 2009. The school will be known as Gaelscoil na Daroige.

2. In September 2005, Gaelscoil na Daróige was founded as an independent school to meet the demand for Irish-medium (IM) education in the Branch and Springtown area of Derry. The school is situated in the Ballymagroarty housing estate, in the townland of Creevagh, on the outskirts of the city of Derry.

3. Approval is for recurrent funding only and is conditional upon a number of factors, including a minimum intake figure of 15-pupils in Year 1. While a previous development proposal was approved, the school did not meet the necessary intake numbers.

4. To qualify for capital funding, the schools must then meet medium term targets of an annual intake of 20, over a period of 3 years.

5. Comhairle Na Gaelscolaíochta (CnaG) supported the development proposal. They noted that the demand for Irish-medium education in Derry is still growing and the approval of a third Irish- medium school would further add to the increase in Irish-medium education, as it would provide an Irish-medium primary provision in another area of demand.

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