A major fundraising drive is to be launched to help parents at four all Irish schools which are due to open on Monday without "funding because of the Minister for Education's refusal to recognise them.
Three of the schools were already in existence but had insufficient enrolments to satisfy the Department of Education. The other, in Maynooth, Co Kildare, is a new school which was refused recognition because the Department believes the demand for all Irish education in the area is already being met.
In total, 11 new all Irish schools open their doors today, including two in Northern Ireland. There are more than 20,000 students now attending all Irish schools, according to Gaelscoileanna, the organisation which represents them.
Mr Breandun Mac Cormaic, chairman of the patrons' organisation for all Irish schools, yesterday renewed his attack on Ms Breathnach's decision, accusing her of a direct attack on parental rights. It was "utterly unacceptable" that the Minister should change the rules for recognising schools without consulting with Gaelscoileanna, the patrons or the parents involved, he said.
Among the new schools is Gaelscoil Chill Mhantain, an inter denominational school which teaches religion to Catholic and Protestant children in the same classroom.
