Irish-medium education: Some NI schools 'hugely neglected'

There are more than 7,000 pupils in Irish-medium education in Northern Ireland

Only one Irish-medium school outside Belfast is in a purpose-built building, according to an education body.

It said that more than half of school buildings in the Irish school sector, as a whole, are temporary.

There are more than 7,000 pupils in Irish-medium education in Northern Ireland.

The Irish-medium education umbrella body Comhairle na Gaelscolaíochta (CnaG) told MLAs some Irish-medium schools had been "hugely neglected".

The group's chief executive, Ciarán Mac Giolla Bhéin, said accommodation was a "key issue" for the Irish-medium sector.

About 5,500 pupils are in dedicated Irish-medium schools and pre-schools and about 1,500 are in Irish-medium units attached to English-medium schools.

The first Irish language pre-school in east Belfast is due to open in September.

Belfast has 14 other Irish language nurseries, nine primaries and one post-primary, Coláiste Feirste.

There are more than 30 Irish-medium pre-schools in the rest of Northern Ireland, and more than 20 primaries as well as a second post-primary, Gaelcholáiste Dhoire in Dungiven, County Londonderry.

Accommodation 'key issue'

Mr Mac Giolla Bhéin told Stormont's Education Committee: "Outside of Belfast we only currently have one Irish-medium school that is located within a purpose-built building."

That is understood to be Gaelscoil na gCrann in Omagh.

• Venue found for Irish pre-school in east Belfast

• Rise in number of pupils at Irish-medium schools

"In Derry city, for example, we have three Irish-medium primary schools that are all located in temporary accommodation despite increasing enrolments."

Gaelcholaiste Dhoire had only 16 pupils when it opened in 2015, but now has 226 pupils

He said that the number of children seeking to enter Irish-medium schools was expected to rise.

"Within the next three to four years we're expected to pass over the 10,000 mark, so you can imagine where this is going.

"The need we've identified here today is only going to be greater in the coming period."

Diverse education 'should be celebrated'

During questions from MLAs, Mr Mac Giolla Bhéin also criticised the decision by the Northern Ireland exams board CCEA to drop the speaking units from all language qualifications in 2022.

Pupils will not be tested on how they can speak French, Irish, German or Spanish to gain GCSEs, AS or A-levels in the languages next year.

"Essentially what is a language without it being spoken? If there isn't a mechanism by which to assess the spoken language of young people then you're taking away a large part of young people's engagement with that language," he said.

"There's a particular disadvantage for young people within the Irish-medium context who would have a high level of fluency, of verbal fluency, in that language."

Mr Mac Giolla Bhéin also said there was an "acute shortage" of specialised Irish-medium teachers, particularly in early years.

That has previously been highlighted by experts from the Council of Europe.

Mr Mac Giolla Bhéin concluded by saying that existing education policies in areas like special educational needs (SEN) should also take account of the specific needs of Irish-medium schools.

"We have a different and diverse education system here and that's something to be celebrated," he said.