Pro-Irish parents call for boycott of Hanafin survey

PARENTS supporting a controversial all-Irish education policy at a new school in Dingle yesterday called for a boycott of the survey on the issue being carried out by the Department of Education.

The row is causing deep divisions in west Kerry and parents opposed to the all- Irish policy in Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne (PCD) are due to take a High Court action on the matter.

Late last year, Education Minister Mary Hanafin intervened and announced a survey to ascertain the views of parents and students and to establish the level of teaching required through both Irish and English.

Significantly, the minister stressed provision would have to be made for pupils who had no Irish and for those unable to learn in classes conducted exclusively through Irish, because their Irish was weak.

But, Tuismitheoirí na Gaeltachta — a group favouring the all-Irish policy — says the minister is trying to “force education through English” on a Gaeltacht school prior to the results of the survey being known.

“This survey is an attempt to undermine the democratic wishes of the majority of Gaeltacht parents to have their children educated through Irish in the Gaeltacht,” the teachers’ group said in a statement.

The group also said nobody would oppose other parents, or the department, if they wished to set up an English school in the area. However, that should not be done at the expense of Gaeltacht children being educated through Irish, the statement said.

The west Kerry Gaeltacht community had previously taken a unanimous decision to establish an all-Irish school, with the support of the teachers and the Kerry Education Service (the VEC in Kerry), the statement also said.

Meanwhile, Johnny Ferriter, of the Concerned Parents of Corca Dhuibhne, who are against the all-Irish policy, yesterday urged people to take part in the survey.

“The overriding thing, at the moment, is the High Court case we’re taking, which seems to be the only way to resolve the problem. There’s no getting back the time the kids that wish to be taught through English have lost and there seems to be no sense of urgency in finding a solution,” he said.

“We are participating in the survey, but it could take a lot of time to collate the results and implement whatever changes are necessary to ensure all the pupils get their constitutional right to an education.”

Shortly after the 470- pupil school opened, last September, upwards of 100 pupils were involved in protests against the all-Irish policy.

School principal Padraig Firtear said efforts were being made to help students with their Irish and extra supports were available to students who needed help.

He also pointed out that teaching in third, fifth and sixth year classes was bilingual — 75% in Irish and 25% in English.

Completed questionnaires in the survey, meanwhile, must be returned to the department before January 23.