Children from five Gaelscoileanna based in south Dublin gathered at the gates of Leinster House on Wednesday to protest over the lack of progress on the provision of an Irish-medium secondary school promised last year.
The children, from Gaelscoil Lios na nÓg, Scoil Bhríde, Bunscoil Synge, Gaelscoil Inse Chór and Gaelscoil Eoin drew Valentine’s cards to present to Minister for Education Helen McEntee, calling on her to act on the Gaelcholáiste.
Following a lengthy campaign by the group Baile Átha Cliath 2, 4, 6 agus 8, it was announced in September that CBS Synge Street would become a coeducational Gaelcholáiste.
Edmund Rice Schools Trust said the school would transition from an English-medium, single-sex post-primary school to a coeducational Irish-medium Gaelcholáiste commencing with the first-year intake in 2026-2027.
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However, campaigners say no progress has been made several months on and they are no better informed about plans for the Gaelcholáiste.
“We are here to keep pressure on the new Minister for Education, Helen McEntee, in relation to the promised Gaelcholáiste in Synge Street,” said Cormac Chambers, principal of Gaelscoil Lios na nÓg.
“It transpired over the last number of weeks that there had been no meetings between the Edmund Rice Trust and the Department of Education as planned, so the alarm bells started ringing.
“The first cohort of children was supposed to start school in September 2026 and that is looking ever more unlikely with every day that passes.”
Mr Chambers said parents also need more detail about how the existing school in Synge Street will be transitioned from an English-medium school into a Gaelcholáiste.
The alternative, he said, is that parents will have to consider registering their children at other English-medium schools.
“Parents are already stressed enough about where they will send their children,” he said.
“Ninety per cent of our children want to continue their education as Gaeilge but if the option is not there then obviously the children will gravitate towards the English-language schools in the area.
Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh said the absence of a Gaelcholáiste means “over 130 children leaving primary school with nowhere to go”.
Fifth-class student at Scoil na nÓg Milo Duckenfield (11) said: “I’m here because I would like to give the younger kids in my school the chance to go a good Irish secondary school.”
Míde Best Bhreathnach (11) said: “I’m here as part of the protest for a Gaelcholáiste because since the Government announced they would build one, they haven’t done anything yet.”
She added: “I really like learning in Irish. I think it is really fun. I definitely want to go to an all-Irish secondary school.”
Eileanór García Liadháin (10) said: “I want to go to an Irish-language secondary school because the more people know how to speak Irish the more they can teach their kids Irish and keep the language going.”
