Category: Latest News

Pictured: Impression of Gaelscoil Uí Néill’s new build

The Department of Education announced more good news for the Irish-medium education (IME) sector this week with the announcement that work was to begin on a new school building for Gaelscoil Uí Néill in Coalisland. Following the recent news that Scoil an Droichid in Belfast has been given the go-ahead to progress their new build, Comhairle na Gaelscolaíochta (CnaG) is delighted that Gaelscoil Uí Néill, first established in 1995 has appointed contractors to begin work on their new premises.

 

Gearóid Ó Gealbháin, Chair of the Board of Governors of Gaelscoil Uí Néill expressed his delight at the announcement:

 

‘After years of planning and countless meetings, the Board of Governors of Gaelscoil Uí Néill is delighted to announce that appointed contractors Connolly & Fee are to be instructed to commence the build of our new Gaelscoil at Gortgonis Playing Fields. We would like to recognise the continued efforts of DE, EA, CnaG and Mid Ulster Council officials as well as local political representatives who have assisted in bringing our dream to reality.’

 

Maria Thomasson, CnaG CEO, welcomed the long-awaited decision by the Department of Education to progress the school’s new build:

 

‘CnaG is delighted that after years of waiting, Gaelscoil Uí Néill will finally achieve what it richly deserves-a new, state-of-the art school building that will serve the Coalisland and Clonoe communities for generations. The new premises will allow Gaelscoil Uí Néill to continue providing first-class education through the medium of Irish in an environment that will greatly enhance the teaching and learning experience for pupils. I wish to congratulate the entire school community on this significant milestone and acknowledge their commitment to this project over many years.

In providing the funding required for this new build, the Department of Education is taking another step in the right direction to address the longstanding accommodation deficiencies within the IME sector in order to improve learning outcomes for IME pupils.’

Comhairle na Gaelscolaíochta (CnaG) warmly welcomes the announcement by the Minister for Education this morning (28 May 2024) to progress new builds for fifteen schools including Scoil an Droichid, the sole Irish-medium education (IME) provider in South Belfast.

Scoil an Droichid located in Cooke Street, Lower Ormeau Road, was first announced as part of the DE Major Capital Build list in 2015.

Almost a decade has passed since that initial announcement and the school community is delighted and relieved to finally receive the green light from the Minister this morning for procurement and construction works to begin.

Claire Donnelly Principal of Scoil an Droichid welcomed the Minister’s decision and enthused that, “The number of pupils in the Naíscoil and Scoil is increasing year after year and we truly need a new school and the resources that brings. After such a long wait all we want is for the work to start on our new school without further delay”.

Maria Thomasson, CEO of Comhairle na Gaelscolaíochta echoed Claire’s comments, “The whole school community and wider Irish-medium education sector will be overjoyed by this news. Minister Givan’s announcement this morning is very welcome and will reinvigor pupils, parents, staff and governors at Scoil an Droichid. The new build will also encompass two new specialist classes to support IME pupils with additional learning needs. Given the rise in demand for these specialist classes in recent years, this provision is essential for our sector as support of its kind currently does not exist in the IME sector beyond West Belfast.”

 

The Minister also referenced other initiatives to support and enhance the delivery of the curriculum in schools via smaller scale investment programmes in his statement this morning.

Again, Maria welcomed this announcement and stated, “It is no secret that significant investment is required to improve and enhance accommodation and infrastructure across the IME sector. I welcome the Minister’s commitment to supporting those schools not listed today and look forward to hearing more details in the weeks ahead surrounding the roll-out of these programmes. It is imperative that IM schools are given every opportunity to access any and all support available to enable them to effectively deliver the curriculum in order to improve outcomes for IME pupils.”

 

Read the Ministers full statement at this link: https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/news/givan-announces-fifteen-school-building-projects-progress-construction