Ní bhunaítear scoileanna nua ach amháin i gceantair ina bhfuil fás déimeagrafach, toisc go gcaithfear tús áite a thabhairt do na hacmhainní atá ar fáil don bhonneagar scoile chun a chinntiú go bhfuil áit scoile ag gach leanbh.
Áirítear i gClár an Rialtais, 2025, Todhchaí na hÉireann a Dhaingniú, tiomantas do Ghaelscoileanna agus Gaelcholáistí a bhunú sa chás go bhfuil éileamh ann agus do thacaíocht a thabhairt do thuismitheoirí a roghnaíonn oideachas trí mheán na Gaeilge dá leanaí.
I ndáil leis seo, d’fhoilsigh an roinn ‘Polasaí don Oideachas lán-Ghaeilge lasmuigh den Ghaeltacht’.
Ba phríomhmholadh sa tuarascáil seo Tascfhórsa ar Mhúnlaí Soláthair don Ghaeloideachas a bhunú, a chuir tús lena chuid oibre i mí na Samhna 2025.
Is é ról an tascfhórsa ná ardán a chur ar fáil do chomhoibriú idir an roinn agus príomhpháirtithe leasmhara chun bealach a fhorbairt chun soláthar an oideachais lán-Ghaeilge a mhéadú ar bhonn náisiúnta. Táthar ag súil go gcríochnófar obair an tascfhórsa laistigh de bhliain amháin. Cuirfidh sé moltaí faoi bhráid na roinne maidir le réimsí amhail na critéir le haghaidh soláthar oideachais trí mheán na Gaeilge, conas tacú le scoileanna atá ag aistriú chuig oideachas trí mheán na Gaeilge agus sásraí chun leathnú soláthair a éascú.
Rinne mo roinn an Suirbhé Bunscoile ag deireadh 2025. Bhí an suirbhé, arb é an ceann is mó dá leithéid a rinneadh riamh in Éirinn, sainiúil don scoil agus bhí sé mar aidhm aige measúnú a dhéanamh ar éileamh agus roghanna tuismitheoirí maidir le cineálacha éagsúla soláthar bunscoile. Tríd an suirbhé, tá eolas soiléir faighte ag mo roinn faoi roghanna tuismitheoirí agus caomhnóirí maidir leis na bunscoileanna a bhfreastalaíonn a leanaí orthu faoi láthair, nó a bhfreastalóidh siad orthu sna blianta amach romhainn, i roinnt réimsí tábhachtacha de sholáthar bunscoile, lena n-áirítear teanga an teagaisc (Gaeilge nó Béarla).
An tseachtain seo caite, chuir mo roinn torthaí a scoileanna sonracha ar fáil do bhunscoileanna, lena n-áirítear roghanna a dtuismitheoirí i ndáil leis an nGaeilge. Cabhróidh na torthaí seo anois le tacú le rannpháirtíocht áitiúil fhiúntach agus cinnteoireacht eolasach ag leibhéal na scoile maidir leis an treo is fearr a oireann do gach pobal scoile amach anseo.
Tá mo roinn lántiomanta do sholáthar trí mheán na Gaeilge a thacú agus tá breis is €500m infheistithe ag mo roinn le 6 bliana anuas d’fhonn foirgnimh scoile nua a thógáil agus saoráidí atá ann cheana féin do scoileanna trí mheán na Gaeilge ar fud na tíre a nuachóiriú. Chuimsigh an infheistíocht seo tógáil 10 bhfoirgneamh scoile nua do scoileanna trí mheán na Gaeilge le linn na tréimhse seo.
Leanfaidh mo Roinn de thacaíocht a thabhairt do Sholáthar Oideachais Lán-Ghaeilge le linn na tréimhse 2026 go 2030, mar chuid d’fheidhmiú céimneach an PFN.
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New schools are only established in areas of demographic growth, as the resources available for school infrastructure have to be prioritised to ensure that every child has a school place.
The Programme for Government 2025, Securing Ireland’s Future, includes a commitment to establish Gaelscoileanna and Gaelcholáistí where there is demand and support parents choosing Irish-medium education for their children.
In this regard, my department published a ‘Policy for Irish-medium Education outside of the Gaeltacht’. A key recommendation of this report was the establishment of a Taskforce on Models of Provision for Irish-medium Education, which commenced its work in November 2025.
The role of the taskforce is to provide a platform for collaboration between the department and key stakeholders to develop a pathway to increase provision of Irish-medium education nationally. The taskforce's work is expected to be completed within one year. It will make recommendations to the department on areas such as the criteria for Irish-medium education provision, how to support schools transitioning to Irish-medium and mechanisms to facilitate expansion of provision.
My department also conducted the Primary School Survey in late 2025. The survey, which is the largest of its kind ever undertaken in Ireland, was school specific and aimed to assess parental demand and preferences for different types of primary school provision. Through the survey, my department has obtained clear information on the preferences of parents and guardians about the primary schools which their children currently attend, or will attend in coming years, on a number of important areas of primary school provision, including language of instruction (Irish or English).
Last week my department provided primary schools with their school-specific results, which included the preferences from the parents of their current and potential future pupils in relation to Irish-medium education in their school. These results will now help to support meaningful local engagement and informed decision-making at school level as to the future direction that works best for each individual school community.
Finally, my department has invested over €500m over the last 6 years in building new school buildings and modernising existing facilities for Irish medium schools across the country. This investment has included the construction of 10 new school buildings for Irish medium schools during this period.
My department will continue to support Irish medium provision as part of NDP rollout during the 2026 to 2030 period.
