Support the Irish language - 733 campaign

• 733 children’s names were submitted by parents in the Drumcondra/Marino/Dublin 1 area asking for a Gaelscoil. The submission was made to the Department of Education along with other submissions from other patrons.

733 is a record number for a Gaelscoil campaign nationwide.

The school was denied in favour of an English speaking primary school and awarded to Educate Together. The new school will open in All Hallows, Drumcondra in 2016.

FACT
24 = Number of Primary Schools in the Drumcondra, Marino, Dublin 1 Area
21 = English Schools
3 = All Irish Schools

This decision makes it 22 English Schools and 3 All Irish Schools in the area

In the context of Ireland’s centenary year it is deeply regrettable the Department of Education failed to support a campaign that had the highest numbers ever received and recorded in support of a Gaelscoil in the history of the state.

ACTION REQUIRED
1. A second new primary school should be immediately sanctioned by the Department in the area of Drumcondra/Marino/Dublin 1

2. An alternative to a second school is to co-locate both a Gaelscoil & Educate Together School in All-Hallows Drumcondra

3. A new ruling stating an Irish Language School (minority language) should not have to compete directly in numbers with a majority language school.

4. Pitting parents against one another for a school for their children is wrong. The system needs to be changed

5. In our centenary year we should reflect on decisions by the Department of Education to deny an Irish language School and begin the conversation as to what role the Irish language will play in the next 100 years

Support our campaign to have our choice of primary education recognised and to address the unfairness in the decision-making process for new primary schools.

Sign our petition and encourage others to do the same.