Waterford gaelscoil accepts department's reduced offer of extra classrooms

Dungarvan's Scoil Gharbháin, which was founded in 1982, caters for over 300 pupils despite being designed for about 100

(Left to right) Junior minister for Local Government & Planning John Cummins, Scoil Ghabháin principal Sinéad Ui Ruairc, chairperson of the school's Board of Management, Siobhán Ní Mhurchú,  designated liaison person at Scoil Ghabháin, Jacqui Ui Mhuirithe and junior minister at the Dept. of An Taoiseach, Mary Butler. 

A west Waterford gaelscoil that had an initial offer of extra classrooms subsequently reduced by the Department of Education, has agreed a new arrangement after a meeting with education minister Hildegarde Naughton.

School principal Sinéad Ui Ruairc and designated liaison person Jacqui Ui Mhuirithe of Scoil Gharbháin, Dungarvan met the minister, along with Waterford junior ministers John Cummins and Mary Butler and department official Cathal McDonagh, at Leinster House.

The delegation had earlier met Sinn Féin TD, Conor McGuinness, who had long campaigned on their behalf.

In late 2024, the department offered to provide four extra mainstream classrooms, two special educational needs (SEN) classrooms and three special education tuition rooms and the school accepted.

Recently, however the department reduced that provision to just one mainstream classroom and two SENs, despite the government having purchased a large site adjacent to the school for the enhancement.

In a meeting described by Ms Ui Ruairc as “constructive and cordial”, both sides agreed a new master plan to meet the school’s long-term needs.

“We put forward housing data, census data and population ambitions from the Waterford City and County Council’s development plan”, the principal states.

The plan will accommodate the shorter-term vision for two mainstream classrooms and, subsequently, two more classrooms for special needs children.

“The two Waterford TDs will work with us on establishing a project manager within the next three months," says Ms Ui Ruairc.

“The school will also continue to push for the remaining two mainstream classrooms", regardless of what is acquired in the meantime. “We have to do so, simply because we need them," she said.

Scoil Gharbháin, which was founded in 1982, caters for over 300 pupils despite being designed for about 100.

Overseen by 30 staff, it operates 13 classes but one class operates off-site, another sits in the school sports hall and two primary classes are accommodated in rented prefabs, at a cost of €56,000 annually.

The plan will also include an amendment to the school entrance where the children share a small space with over a thousand students from the adjacent St Augustine’s Secondary School.

“Its chaotic," said Ms Ui Ruairc.

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Crowding at both schools is set to increase, with over 200 new houses anticipated within a 10-minute radius by 2029. The school is west Waterford’s only gaelscoil, apart from one in An Rinn, some 12 kilometres away.

Along with drawing from a population of 12,000 in the Dungarvan area, Scoil Ghabhráin enrols children from more distant catchments like Melleray, Cappoquin and Kilmacthomas.

“Dungarvan is also a Gaeltacht service town, which means there is State money going into a language plan for the area and Scoil Gharbháin is integral to that plan as in all Irish-medium school," said Ms Ui Ruairc.

“Past pupils work in shops and we conduct business in Irish, which is a big asset to Dungarvan. There are very few towns in the country with that status and big money goes into it. Yet there are no new gaelscoils being built."