Sinn Féin TD Mairéad Farrell TD has demanded education minister Norma Foley provides a secondary school for Inishbofin to allow island students to stay on the island during their teenage years.
Currently children must attend secondary school on the mainland, which means that they move away from their family or that families relocate to the mainland for their schooling.
“It is very disruptive for families who may also have younger children who attend primary school on the island. Meanwhile, parents are forced to make sacrifices in their employment in certain cases,” said Deputy Farrell.
Deputy Farrell made her comments while speaking to Minister Foley at the Joint Committee on the Irish language, the Gaeltacht and the Irish-speaking Community during a discussion of the specific needs that schools on off-shore islands have that differ to schools on the mainland.
She has previously raised this issue with Minister Foley, who has said that her Department are looking for opportunities to expand the provision of post-primary education on off-shore islands. Minister Foley acknowledged that she is aware that the issue is ongoing and that Deputy Farrell has continuously raised it with her.
