THE Gaelscoileanna organisation has threatened legal action over a Department of Education decision to refuse recognition to six new all Irish schools, while granting it to six others.
Three of the schools refused recognition opened unofficially last year, in Ballybrack, Co Dublin; Enniscorthy, Co Wexford; and Clones, Co Monaghan. The others are due to open this September in Whitehall, Dublin; Maynooth, Co Kildare, and Trim, Co Meath.
The six new schools which will be officially recognised are in Westport, Co Mayo; Knocklyon, Co Dublin; Wicklow and Sligo towns; and Ranelagh and Cabra in Dublin.
Gaelscoileanna's executive officer, Ms Jacqueline Ni Fhearghusa, accused the Department of changing the rules for recognition and consequent funding without prior consultation.
The Minister, Ms Breathnach, has shown "complete and utter, disregard for the hard work and dedication" of parents involved in the schools by delaying a decision for five months, she said.
"We will fight her every step of the way. We have already got legal advice which would suggest that we have a very strong case and we will fight the Minister through the courts if we have to.
"She has had the applications for five months at least. Neither the schools nor Gaelscoileanna were contacted or given any indication whatsoever by the Department of the changes, and I have had regular meetings with the Department on the issue.
"We were told initially that if the applications were put in on time then the recognitions would be granted in April. In April, we were told it would be May and in May we were told it would be June."
New all Irish schools need to reach an enrolment threshold of 20 junior infants in order to get official recognition and funding. The infants must not be previously enrolled in any other school - a condition which does not apply to ordinary schools and which already causes "considerable hardship" to parents, according to Gaelscoileanna.
Up to now the schools have been allowed to combine enrolments from two years in order to reach the 20 pupil threshold. This week, the Department told the organisation they would have to reach the threshold within one year.
The three "unofficial" schools which opened last year survived on voluntary contributions and fund raising by parents. Gaclscoileanna said the delay in dealing with the applications was "grossly unfair" and would cause extra hardship to parents.
"They have been turned down a mere four weeks before the start of the new school year, when uniforms have been bought, leases signed on buildings and principals interviewed."
The Department declined to respond to Gaelscoileanna's claims last night, but said the Minister "affirmed" her commitment to the sector. "A successful gaelscoil depends on genuine parental demand; hence there is a requirement that a gaelscoil have at least 20 junior infants before recognition," it said.
The decision was condemned by Conradh na Gaeilge, Comhdhail Naisuinta na Gaeilge, Comhar na Muinteoiri Gaeilge and Glor na nGael. "The title of the Minister's White Paper, Charting our Education Future, could now be more aptly described as `Thwarting our Education Future'," Conradh said.