A chara, - The Minister for Education, Niamh Bhreathnac having granted recognition to second gaelscoil in Ranelagh and to a second gaelscoil in Cabra refused to grant recognition to Whitehall, Trim, Maynooth and Waterford. The reason given was that these might impinge on the viability of other schools in their area. After much publicity, the Minister has now decided that she was wrong in the case of Whitehall, Trim and Waterford and has decided to grant recognition to these three gaelscoileanna.
In the case of Maynooth, the Minister gives the reasons for refusal as falling student numbers and the fact that a gaelscoil already exists four miles away in Kilcock. The preliminary census returns for 1996 state that there has been a 36.5 per cent increase in the population of Maynooth, from 6,807 in 1991 to 9,292 in 1296.
A recent survey by the geography department of Maynooth University states that the increase in population is composed in the main of young families with primary-schoolgoing children. As both the boys' and girls' schools in Maynooth have over 400 students respectively, there are over 150 children leaving Maynooth every schoolday to attend co-educational schools in Kilcloon, Kilcock and Leixlip. In the Maynooth Development Plan 1996, page 17, Kildare County Council as the planning authority states the need for a third primary school in Maynooth and has zoned land in the town specifically for this purpose.
The second reason for the Minister's refusal, that Gaelscoil Ui Fhiaich might impinge on the viability of the gaelscoil in Kilcock, is unsound. The advisory body on all-Irish schools, Gaelscoileanna, has strongly recommended the provision of a gaelscoil in Maynooth. It made this decision only after advising the Maynooth gaelscoil to defer its plans for founding one on various occasions since 1988, until the Kilcock school would be viable.
The Kilcock school which is now 10 years old, moved into new buildings in the square in 1995 and is set to enjoy a long and prosperous future.
This Education Minister is quick to provide excuses not to grant recognition to Irish-medium schools. She is also quick to claim recognition for sanctioning Irish-medium schools. It is not the Minister who sets about the arduous task of founding these, but parents who want their children to receive an Irish-medium-education.
In page 28 of the Joint Programme for Government between Fine Gael, the Labour Party and Democratic Left (December 1994), it is stated that the Government will help the establishment of multi-denominational and all-Irish schools by granting them early recognition. The Maynooth committee has complied with all the procedure and is entitled to recognition. - Is mise, le meas, etc.
Cathaoirleach, Gaelscoil Ui Fhiaich, 116 Sraidbhaile Mha gClair, Maigh Nuad.