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 Background
The accommodation crisis in the Irish-medium
education sector has been ongoing for many years. The number of
schools awaiting permanent accommodation is increasing rather than
decreasing. It is unacceptable that parents are obliged to
contribute or fund-raise to supplement rental payments from the
Department of Education and Science. This crisis was recognized in
the Programme for Government, 2002:
“A comprehensive review of the needs of all
Gaelscoileanna and Gaeltacht schools will be undertaken. As part
of the work of the Department of Education & Science, the
physical condition of all buildings used by these schools will be
reviewed and a programme put in place to ensure that they meet
required standards.”
Unfortunately, very little progress has been made
on this urgent issue. Any achievements to date are totally
insufficient. It is obvious that the current system is failing to
deal with the problem. This issue needs to be prioritised as
promised. These unsuitable temporary arrangements must be ended
and the Department must provide a safe and suitable learning
environment for all our pupils.
The Facts
53% of gaelscoileanna without permanent accommodation.
There are 131 Irish-medium schools in the
country:-
-
Of the 29 schools that have opened since 1998
none have permanent accommodation.
-
Of the 58 schools that have opened since 1994
- 52 are still without permanent accommodation, constituting
90% of the total for this period.
-
104 schools have opened between 1983 agus
2006. 69 schools, i.e. 66%, are still without permanent
accommodation. Of these:-
-
34 schools opened between 1983 agus 1989 -
10 are without permanent accommodation (i.e. 29%).
-
51 schools opened between 1990 agus 1999 -
40 are without permanent accommodation (i.e. 78%).
-
•9 schools opened between 2000 agus 2006
- 19 are without permanent accommodation (i.e.100%)
40 schools are waiting at least 10 years for
permanent accommodation and of those 9 are waiting 20 years
or longer.
Our Demands
Gaelscoileanna Teoranta demands:-
• that priority be given within the Planning
Section of the Department to address the accommodation crisis in
schools with permanent recognition that are housed in temporary
accommodation
• that proactive planning take place to provide suitable sites
through an agreed structure involving the Department of Education
and Science and Local Authorities
• that Local Authorities be legally obliged to designate a
suitable site for a school as soon as that school has received
permanent recognition, as well as having powers of compulsory
purchase
• that the Office of Public Works (O.P.W.) be legally obliged to
purchase a site for a school within three years of the school
receiving permanent recognition
• that a minimum standard of accommodation, in terms of both
space and physical condition, be
put in place immediately and that agreement be made with each
school on the timescale for the temporary accommodation
• that the Department pay 100% of all rental and associated site
costs for schools with permanent recognition, and
• that in the case of schools without permanent recognition the
difference between 75% and 100% of rental costs be repaid to
school once permanent recognition has been granted.
‘Temporary’ should only be
Temporary
FAIR ACCOMMODATION NOW! |
