Naíonraí pre-school set to open in Convent Lawns community centre

By Maurice Garvey

AFTER a long campaign, parents in Ballyfermot will finally be able to send their children to an Irish-language pre-school, after news that a Naíonraí is set to open in September.

The new home for the Naíonraí will be at the community centre on Convent Lawns – which was recently designated €50,000 for refurbishments, after councillors agreed to spread surplus Dublin City Council budget funds to projects around the constituency.

People Before Profit Councillor Hazel Norton, who started the campaign for Irish-speaking schools in Ballyfermot, hailed the news this week.

Cllr Norton said: “It will be opening in September. We are waiting for funding to be released for refurbishments, so until that is completed, the Naíonraí will start in Cherry Orchard Childcare Centre.

“There has been a lot of interest with other parents. It will link in with all the local schools and with Gaelscoil Inse Chór.”

With regard to the Convent Lawns building, Norton says residents have been engaged and that the building will be for “community use” and not exclusively for the Naíonraí.

“It has been lying derelict for five years, but doesn’t require major works, just new floors, and some small jobs, painting, things like that,” said Cllr Norton.

The delay in accessing funding is due to changes in government legislation, but Norton says a Stiúrthóir Naíonraí (Naíonraí Leader) is in place and they hope to get 10 children signed up for the Naíonraí.

In 2015, The Echo reported how parents in Ballyfermot felt they were being marginalised due to a lack of Irish-speaking facilities – lacking either a Naíonraí or a gaelscoil in the community.

In previous years, parents could send their kids to a gaelscoil in neighbouring communities but changes to enrolment policies, focused gaelscoil priorities on children living within their catchment area.

This led to situations where Ballyfermot parents were unable to build up the required points to enrol their kids to Gaelscoils in Lucan or Inchicore.

Cllr Norton, a parent from lower Ballyfermot, eventually managed get her son Michael into her alma mater Gaelscoil Inse Chór, after a long battle.

Whilst it is too late for him to enrol locally, she is confident the facility will be of use for parents over the coming years.
“It is a Department of Children and Youth Affairs-run facility, ultimately it all funnels up to the Department of Education,” said Cllr Norton.

Establishing a Gaelscoil in the community is the next step with Norton trying to organise a regular meeting place for Irish-speaking enthusiasts.

“She continued: “We hope to set up an Irish cultural centre like they have in Clondalkin. It would be community run, and opens up possibilities for gaelscoil activity with local schools that are receptive.”

Parents interested in sending their child to a Naíonraí can contact Cllr Norton or visit her Facebook page.