Post by earl on Jun 3, 2008 13:37:07 GMT
EDUCATION Minister Caitriona Ruane has been accused of "showing her true colours" by funding a small Irish language school, against advice, when similar schools nearby have struggled to fill all their places.
It has emerged that she rejected her senior officials' advice in approving a new Irish language school in Londonderry.
The school she approved was just 2.5 miles from another Irish language school which, in the view of the Department of Education's inspectors, was already "in sharp decline" and had 106 empty desks.
And documents released to a newspaper under the Freedom of Information Act show that last year Ms Ruane went against the wishes of the local Catholic primary school in approving funding for the school.
The school – Gaelscoil na Daroige in the Ballymagroarty area – has not actually received any funding yet as it does not have the minimum 15 P1 pupils required under legislation to receive it.
But Ms Ruane's decision means that if it has 15 or more pupils P1 enrolled it will start to receive public money.
In March the minister turned down a request from Conlig Primary School to convert to integrated status because there were already integrated schools in the area.
The minister – who today leaves Northern Ireland for a five-day official visit to the Basque country – was the focus of renewed questions over her decisions since taking the helm of the department just over a year ago.
Education committee chairman Sammy Wilson said the latest revelation was evidence of the minister trying to "impose a republican agenda".
"Ruane is yet again showing her, and her party's, true colours," he said.
"The old Sinn Fein mantra of 'building an Ireland of equals' is being shown as completely false and hypocritical."
And, citing the example of Islandmagee – where he said parents have been waiting five years for a new primary school – he claimed the minister was refusing to approve plans for a new school because it was not an Irish language school.
Alliance education committee member Trevor Lunn said it was "rather strange" that the minister had gone against the advice of her department.
Despite stressing that his party supported giving parents choice – including Irish language education where there is demand for it – he said: "Caitriona Ruane cannot make the rules up as she goes along."
Ulster Unionist education committee member Basil McCrea said: "This shows that she cannot be trusted to make the type of decisions that are on her table as she is too busy worrying about her own political agenda.
"For months now the minister has been hitting the headlines on a daily basis with her continued negligence when it comes to the education of our children.
"Her only concern appears to be the progression of a republican agenda – the politicising of the Irish language does considerable damage to those who aspire to use it for their own cultural benefit."
And Traditional Unionist Voice MEP Jim Allister said Ms Ruane was "playing to the republican gallery" even when it "flies in the face of logic".
But Ms Ruane defended her decision and attacked her critics.
In a statement she said: “Demand for Irish medium education is growing at a time when overall pupil numbers are falling.
“Critics of my decision need to realise and accept that I have a statutory duty to support and facilitate both Irish medium and integrated education.
“In this case I believed there was a strong and growing demand for this school.”
It has emerged that she rejected her senior officials' advice in approving a new Irish language school in Londonderry.
The school she approved was just 2.5 miles from another Irish language school which, in the view of the Department of Education's inspectors, was already "in sharp decline" and had 106 empty desks.
And documents released to a newspaper under the Freedom of Information Act show that last year Ms Ruane went against the wishes of the local Catholic primary school in approving funding for the school.
The school – Gaelscoil na Daroige in the Ballymagroarty area – has not actually received any funding yet as it does not have the minimum 15 P1 pupils required under legislation to receive it.
But Ms Ruane's decision means that if it has 15 or more pupils P1 enrolled it will start to receive public money.
In March the minister turned down a request from Conlig Primary School to convert to integrated status because there were already integrated schools in the area.
The minister – who today leaves Northern Ireland for a five-day official visit to the Basque country – was the focus of renewed questions over her decisions since taking the helm of the department just over a year ago.
Education committee chairman Sammy Wilson said the latest revelation was evidence of the minister trying to "impose a republican agenda".
"Ruane is yet again showing her, and her party's, true colours," he said.
"The old Sinn Fein mantra of 'building an Ireland of equals' is being shown as completely false and hypocritical."
And, citing the example of Islandmagee – where he said parents have been waiting five years for a new primary school – he claimed the minister was refusing to approve plans for a new school because it was not an Irish language school.
Alliance education committee member Trevor Lunn said it was "rather strange" that the minister had gone against the advice of her department.
Despite stressing that his party supported giving parents choice – including Irish language education where there is demand for it – he said: "Caitriona Ruane cannot make the rules up as she goes along."
Ulster Unionist education committee member Basil McCrea said: "This shows that she cannot be trusted to make the type of decisions that are on her table as she is too busy worrying about her own political agenda.
"For months now the minister has been hitting the headlines on a daily basis with her continued negligence when it comes to the education of our children.
"Her only concern appears to be the progression of a republican agenda – the politicising of the Irish language does considerable damage to those who aspire to use it for their own cultural benefit."
And Traditional Unionist Voice MEP Jim Allister said Ms Ruane was "playing to the republican gallery" even when it "flies in the face of logic".
But Ms Ruane defended her decision and attacked her critics.
In a statement she said: “Demand for Irish medium education is growing at a time when overall pupil numbers are falling.
“Critics of my decision need to realise and accept that I have a statutory duty to support and facilitate both Irish medium and integrated education.
“In this case I believed there was a strong and growing demand for this school.”
