Conradh na Gaeilge supports GAELSCOILEANNA TEO.'s national campaign which demands an emergency plan to solve the accommodation crisis in Irish-medium schools as a matter of urgency.
Dáithí Mac Cárthaigh, President of Conradh na Gaeilge and Seanad candidate on the NUI panel, said:-
"School accommodation is a most urgent issue for the educational future of every child, impacting safety, children's rights and the provision of a healthy and effective learning environment."
"53% of Irish-medium primary schools (69 schools) are without permanent accommodation. Of the 29 schools that have opened since 1998 not one has permanent accommodation.
"A minimum standard of accommodation is needed for all schools; the Department of Education must pay 100% of a school's rent liability as long as that school is in temporary accommodation; and the OPW must be obliged to purchase a site for each school within three years of that school receiving permanent recognition."
"We also support GAELSCOILEANNA's particularised demands in relation to the reform of teacher training in order to mainstream immersion education methodology; to ensure that the Irish-medium education sector receives equality of treatment with the English-medium sector in relation to facilities and support; and that class sizes be reduced to 20, the OECD average."
Further information:
Dáithí Mac Cárthaigh,
President, Conradh na Gaeilge.
01 4757401 / 087 2368364
Julian de Spáinn,
General Secretary, Conradh na Gaeilge.
01 4757401 / 086 8142757
