IRISH language education is continuing to grow across the North of Ireland and in particular in Derry where a local school has been told it can admit extra pupils.
Proposals to increase enrolment numbers at Gaelscoil Eadain Mhoir have been approved.
The school will increase from 145 to 182 pupils by September.
The total number of pupils in funded Irish-medium education has steadily risen over time, increasing by over 1,500 pupils since 2012/13 and more than 300 since last year.
Most of this increase is coming from greater enrolments in Irish-medium schools rather than units.
Campaigners predict that the number of children being educated through Irish will increase significantly over the next four years.
Research from Comhairle na Gaelscolaíochta (CnaG), the council for Irish-medium education, predicts an almost 100 per cent rise over a 15 year period.
In 2006/07, there were 3,660 children at Irish-medium schools. This increased to 5,873 last year – up 60.46 per cent. CnaG predicts that by 2021, there will be 7,220 children receiving education through the medium of Irish – a rise of 97.23 per cent from 2006.
Gaelscoil Éadain Mhóir serves the Brandywell, Creggan and Bogside areas.
Its new enrolment number will allow every child in its nursery to secure a place in P1. At present, there are 26 children in the naiscoil but only 21 places in Rang a hAon.
A case for change document supporting the bid said increasing numbers would bring admissions into line with “current and historical demand for places”.
The school opened in 1998 with just six pupils. It is predicted that it could be educating as many as 208 children by 2021.
Meanwhile in north Belfast, approval has been granted to Bunscoil Bheann Mhadagáin to increase its numbers to 182 from September.
It was established in 1995 as an independent school and attained grant-aided status in 1997. It is situated in a purpose built five-class building on a site adjacent to the Cliftonville Playing Fields which officially opened in February 2016.
The extra numbers will help it meet current and historical demand for Irish-medium schooling as well as, like Derry, align its admissions with the number of pre-school places at the associated naílscoil (26).
Department of Education permanent secretary Derek Baker approved both proposals.
On Gaelscoil Éadain Mhóir, he said acknowledged from the evidence presented the growing demand for places at the school “and the logic of aligning the admissions number with the number of approved places at the naíscoil”.
He added that it was also important to ensure a comprehensive approach to Irish-medium provision in the Derry area in the future.
On Bunscoil Bheann Mhadagáin, he said the case for change was well made and the increase would remove reliance on composite year groups.
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