Campaign for Gaelcholáiste in Portlaoise
There is a group of parents in Portlaoise campaigning for the establishment of a Gaelcholaiste (an Irish-speaking secondary school) in Laois. The committee itself is called Coiste Bunaithe Phortlaoise. We all have children attending Gaelscoil Phortlaoise and we are passionate about them continuing to learn through their national language. (Official Language Act 2003, Ráiteas 2006)
Laois has seen a substantial increase in population and as such its requirement for secondary level education has risen significantly. Due to increased demand, Gaelscoil Phortlaoise has started a second stream and both Trumera and tSlí Dála have seen steady demand for places also. Given the demographics and the desire of parents to have their children educated as Gaeilge, a Gaelcholaiste is now a necessity more than a want for the Midlands as the closest Gaelcholaistí are in Naas and Carlow, representing distances of over 50 km and 36 km respectively.
Establishing a Gaelcholaiste is no easy task and although a lot has been accomplished by the Committee to date, we have a long road ahead. We already have the support of local TDs, councillors and Gaelscoileanna but what we really need now is to get the community behind us. The Committee holds regular public information evenings to keep the community appraised of our progress. All members of the public are welcome at these meetings, the details of which are published on our Facebook page facebook.com/coistebunaithephortlaoise , our Twitter page @coistebp, and on our Webpage coistebp.weebly.com.
We would love the opportunity to chat more about what we are doing and can be contacted by email at coistebp@gmail.com.
Is grúpa tuismitheoirí muid tar éis bhfeachtas a bhunú chun Gaelcholáiste, Irish speaking secondary school, a fháil anseo i Laois. Coiste Bunaithe Phortlaoise ainm an coiste. Tá páistí againn go léir a bhfuil ag freastal ar Ghaelscoil Phortlaoise and táimid ag iarraidh go bhfuil seans acu a oideachas a leanúint trí mheán na Gaeilge.
Le cúpla bliain anuas tá fás agus forbairt mór tagtha ar Phortlaoise agus dá bharr seo tá riachtanais do spásanna sna scoileanna dara léibheal. I mbliana tá Gaelscoil Phortlaoise taréis dara sruth a thosnú mar gheall ar an éileamh atá ann don oideachas trí Ghaeilge. Tá Gaelscoileanna Trumera agus Slí Dála tar éis fás a fheiceáil freisin. Ba mhian le na tuismitheoirí go mbeidh oideachas a pháistí trí mheán na Gaeilge agus mar gheall ar na déimeagrafaicí tá Gaelcholáiste i bPortlaoise riachtanach. Tá na Gaelcholáistí i Nás na Ríogh agus Ceatharlach comh fada le 36km agus 50km.
Ní feachtas éasca é ag iarraidh Gaelcholáiste a bhunú anseoiI bPortlaoise agus cé go bhfuil go leor obair déanta ag an gcoiste go dtí seo tá go leor le déanamh amach anseo. Tá tacaíocht againn ó comhlairleoirí áitiúla, Teachta Dála agus Gaelscoileanna eile ach tá tacaíocht an phobal ag teastáil uainn anois. Bíonn cruinnithe againn go rialta agus tá failte roimh cách i gconaí. Is féidir eolas ar dul chun cinn an coiste a leanúint sna cruinnithe uilig. Bíonn na sonraí uilig ar fáil ar an leathanach Facebook, Facebook.com/coistebunaithephortlaoise, an leathanach Twitter @coistebp agus ar an leathanach gréasáin coistebp.weebly.com.
Ba bhreá linn cloisteáil uaibh faoin obair atá á dhéanamh againn agus aon moltaí a bhfuil agaibh. Is féidir teangmháil a dhéanamh linn ag coistebp@gmail.com.