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PARENTS OF PUPILS at a school in Dundalk, Co Louth, have threatened High Court action over a decision to reduce the number of subjects taught through Irish.
Last week students at Coláiste Lú staged a walk-out over the decision.
Coláiste Lú is an aonad at Coláiste Chú Chulainn, which is an English medium school. It has about 60 pupils.
An aonad caters for students who wish to be educated mainly through Irish in areas where it is not feasible to have a stand-alone Irish medium secondary school.
Today parents of pupils attending Coláiste Lú said they have been “left with no choice but to file an application to the High Court to fight for the rights of students”.
They said they were contacted by the school’s patron body, Louth Meath Education and Training Board (LMETB) after they sent the board a High Court warning letter this week and expect a meeting early next week.
Aidan Kinsella, Coláise Lú parents council secretary, said a decision was taken last week that no further protests or walk-outs would take place to give “breathing space” to meetings organised by TDs in relation to the issue.
“The current disruption to our children’s education should not be exacerbated by missing school days protesting. This, however, is contingent on genuine and honest engagement by LMETB and [the] principal to swiftly provide the necessary resources to re-establish the aonad as it used to be run.”
The LMETB has said teacher shortages led to the decision this year to have most subjects taught through English.
Teachers at Irish medium units are drawn from the main school’s allocation.
Last week LMETB said it was not in a position to commit resources sanctioned for other students to meet expectations of the parents of pupils at the aonad.
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More important that children with Special Needs get what the appropriate level of Education that is there Right.
@Eamonn Tierney: can both not be important?
Have they considered that maybe because the language has been dead for so long it might be hard to teach?
@Simon Fusco: are you suggesting that the Seoighe sisters are actually zombies???
@Benja: apparently I’m dead, too! This commenting from beyond the grave is awesome, though. And, I can still meet up with my friends for a drink, though it just passes right through my wispy essence and is generally just messy. Fadhbanna an neamhshaoil atá ann ar ndóigh. . .
@Brian Ó Dálaigh: Brionglóid ufásach. So are you the guy in the Smithwicks ad?
@Simon Fusco: dead to you maybe but not for my 6 year old starting his 3rd year in school speaking Irish. And we pass about 6 schools getting him to his Irish school everyday.
It’s alive!
@Decko Kelly: what a waste of time and effort for the poor child. Why not force them to learn via Latin instead, would be more useful
@Daniel Wilson: the poor child?
For learning Irish? I’ll just put your opinion back on the shelf and walk away thank you very much.
Are they suing over teacher shortages? What do they expect
@John O Reilly: i think its more to do with bullying thats been taking place due to it along with the principles understanding to parents resembling ‘if you dont like it then take your child somewhere else’ but by your comment, perhaps yourself and the principle share values
@Daimhín De Naois: *principal. Excuse my typos
@John O Reilly: disgraceful when they leave school and get a job when are they ever gonna use English .
@Daimhín De Naois: you are a fairly ignorant person
@Daimhín De Naois: there is no mention of bullying, however there is a severe shortage of Irish teachers
Unfortunately it’s a dying language and ireland likes to live in the past!
@Graham Purtell: Some like to live in the past, the majority of us have moved with the times.
@Ciaran Maher: Right Kieran.
If the want more teachers, they are going to have to up the salary and benchmark the average teachers out.
The school can’t create teachers who can teach all subjects in Irish!! Would these parents rather their children weren’t educated at all.
@Jean Carter: well then they should close the Aonad. You can’t say “send your children here for an education through Irish” and then fail to provide them with an education through Irish. The children are sent there under the expectation – one which the school itself promotes/promoted – that they will be educated through Irish. Either fulfill the obligation or withdraw the service.
@Brian Ó Dálaigh: they have withdrawn the service
@bmul: no they haven’t. They have withdrawn the teaching, but not the service. The Aonad remains open. At least according to its own website.
@Jean Carter: colàiste lù functioned as a full immersion, stand-alone school with full staff until last year when it was moved into a new building to be shared with colàiste chù chulainn. Parents were told it would continue as a separate school. Suddenly it’s an aonad. And the kids are no longer being taught through Irish. Which is their right under our constitution
Shame to see the country slowly let go of the language. What soon will identify us differently than our Sasanach neighbours?
@Josh Gilman: a truly anti Irish government.
Learn Irish folks. 6 months and you can achieve a lot.
Why nobody speaks the language
have your say