Sinn Féin’s new Oireachtas team for Dublin City’s Southside, Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD and Máire Devine TD in Dublin South Central and Senator Chris Andrews in Dublin Bay South, made a united call for the Minister for Education Helen McEntee to provide an urgent solution to the long-running campaign for an Irish medium secondary school (Gaelcholáiste) to serve the needs of children in the Dublin 2, 4, 6, and 8 areas, following the failure of the promised transition of CBS Synge Street to Irish medium.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh, who is also Sinn Féin’s spokesperson for the Irish language, said:

“Today’s news that CBS Synge Street will not now be transformed into the long-awaited local Gaelcholáiste in time for the 2026 school year will come as a severe blow to the parents and children who have been campaigning tirelessly for the last number of years for their right to an education in their national language.

“This was entirely avoidable, but the failure of the Department of Education under Fianna Fáil Minister Norma Foley to communicate appropriately with staff before the announcement was made in September and the subsequent total failure to meet with campaigners or put a plan in place for how the transition would work in practice all conspired to hinder the delivery of a Gaelcholáiste everyone agrees is needed in the area.

“Despite campaigns up and down the country from Mayo to Clonakilty demonstrating strong demand, this announcement was the only instance over five years in office of the Fianna Fáil-Fine Gael-Green coalition living up to its Programme for Government commitment to provide Gaelcholáistí where there is strong demand, and now this success story lies in tatters.

“We see the same broken promise repeated yet again in the new Programme for Government, and if Fine Gael is serious about delivering for the southside of Dublin City, where a population of 200,000 people and the school communities of 6 Gaelscoileanna at primary level across D2, D4, D6 and D8 are served by 44 English medium secondary schools and not one Irish medium option to continue their education, the new Minister Helen McEntee must step up to the plate and find a solution so that those kids promised a place in a Gaelcholáiste starting in 2026 will not become another generation failed.

“The Department of Education has clearly accepted the need for a Gaelcholáiste in the Dublin 2, 4, 6, 8 area. The onus is now upon the Minister to identify how this will be delivered by the announced date and what alternative site best meets the needs of a new school.

“We in Sinn Féin’s team will not stop demanding a Gaelcholáiste for our kids in the southside.”

Caithfidh an tAire McEntee réiteach a aimsiú láithreach don éileamh ar Ghaelcholáiste tar éis teip Sráid Synge – Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD, Máire Devine TD agus An Seanadóir Chris Andrews

Rinne foireann nua Oireachtais Shinn Féin do dheisceart Chathair Bhaile Átha Cliath, Aengus Ó Snodaigh TD agus Máire Devine TD i mBaile Átha Cliath Lár Theas agus An Seanadóir Chris Andrews i gCuan Bhaile Átha Cliath Thas, éileamh d’aon ghuth ar an Aire Oideachais Helen McEntee réiteach práinneach a aimsiú ar an bhfeachtas seanbhunaithe ar son Gaelcholáiste chun freastal ar riachtanais na leanaí i gceantair Bhaile Átha Cliath 2, 4, 6 agus 8, tar éis gur theip ar an aistriú go Gaeilge geallta do CBS Sráid Synge.

Dúirt Aengus Ó Snodaigh, atá ina urlabhraí Gaeilge ag Sinn Féin freisin:

“Buille a chuirfidh tuismitheoirí agus leanaí in ísle brí atá i nuacht an lae inniu nach mbeidh CBS Sráid Synge anois á n-aistriú le bheith mar an Ghaelcholáiste áitiúil ar a bhfuil daoine ag fanacht le fada an lá in am do scoilbhliain 2026, tar éis dóibh feachtasaíocht gan stad gan staonadh a dhéanamh leis na blianta beaga anuas ar son a gceart oideachas a fháil ina dteanga náisiúnta.

“Bhí an toradh seo inseachanta, ach chuir teip an Roinn Oideachais faoin Aire Norma Foley de chuid Fianna Fáil cumarsáid cuí a dhéanamh leis an bhfoireann roimh fógra a chur amach i mí Mheán Fómhair agus an teip iomlán ina dhiaidh sin bualadh leis an lucht feachtais nó plean a chur le chéile maidir le conas a tharlódh aistriú i ndáiríre bac roimh soláthar an Ghaelcholáiste atá riachtanach don cheantar dar le cách.

“In ainneoin feachtais fud fad na tíre ó Mhaigh Eo go dtí Cloich na gCoillte ag léiriú éileamh láidir, ba é an fógra seo an t-aon uair i rith cúig bliana oifige an chomhrialtais Fhianna Fáil-Fhine Gael-Ghlas inar éirigh leo a ngeallúint faoin gClár Rialtais Gaelcholáiste a sholáthar áit ina bhfuil éileamh láidir, agus anois tá an éacht seo millte.

“Tá an geallúint briste céanna le feiceáil athráite arís sa Chlár Rialtais nua, agus má tá Fine Gael dáiríre faoi freastal ar dheisceart na cathrach i mBaile Átha Cliath, áit ina bhfuil daonra 200,000 duine agus pobal scoile a chuimsíonn 6 Gaelscoil bunleibhéal trasna BÁC 2, BÁC 4, BÁC 6 agus BÁC 8 ag brath ar 44 meánscoil lánBhéarla agus gan fiú rogha lánGhaeilge amháin chun leanúint lena gcuid oideachas, ní mór don Aire nua Helen McEntee gníomhú de réir a mbriathra agus réiteach a aimsiú ionas nach mbeidh na leanaí ar gealladh spás dóibh i nGaelcholáiste ag tosú i 2026 fágtha mar glúin eile ar a rinneadh teip orthu.

“Tá sé glactha ag an Roinn Oideachais go bhfuil gá le Gaelcholáiste i gceantar BÁC 2, 4, 6, 8. Tá sé faoin Aire anois a léiriú conas a mbainfear a leithéid amach faoin dáta fógartha agus cén suíomh malartach is cuí do riachtanais scoil nua.

“Ní stopfaidh foireann Shinn Féin ag lorg Gaelcholáiste dár leanaí i ndeisceart na cathrach.”