Ireland funds Gaelscoileanna with €6 million as schools aim for full Irish‑medium education by 2027

The Department of Finance has allocated about €6 million to the Department of Education for capital spending and grants dedicated to Gaelscoileanna. Education Minister Paul Givan clarified that his department did not originally bid for the funding, and some of the money was redirected, prompting questions from Sinn Féin deputy Pat Sheehan about its proper use.

At the same time, more than ten primary schools across the country have approached the Department of Education seeking official Gaelscoileanna status. Those schools, located in Galway, Donegal, Mayo, Kerry and other regions, plan to switch to full Irish‑medium instruction from 2027, with a longer‑term goal of delivering all primary education through Irish by 2034. If the applications are approved, the shift could represent the largest single‑year increase in Gaelscoileanna in the state's history.