THE representative body for Irish-medium education in the north has said they are "concerned" about the use of a mechanism by the DUP to block legislation on Irish-medium education.
Comhairle na Gaelscolaíochta are funded by the Department of Education and have released a statement in response to the DUP's decision to table a Petition of Concern on West Belfast MLA Pat Sheehan's Bill on Irish-medium workforce planning.
The DUP say this is an effort to keep "the arrogance of Sinn Fein" in check.
In a statement on Tuesday, Comhairle na Gaelscolaíochta said that the sector "continues to experience significant and well-documented difficulties in recruiting and retaining qualified teachers, school leaders and support staff".
They say that demand for Irish-medium "continues to grow" across all communities and that "meaningful solutions" are needed to meet the needs of schools.
"Irish-medium education is a recognised part of our education system. It has grown steadily over many years and is now chosen by families from all communities," the statement continued, referencing the "over 7,000 children now enrolled in IME schools."
They say the proposed Bill would "require the Department of Education to plan for the teachers, leaders and support staff the sector needs," and that it would build on the Department's "existing statutory duty to encourage and facilitate Irish-medium education".
Comhairle na Gaelscolaíochta say they are "concerned that the use of a Petition of Concern means this Bill will not now progress".
They say that a "planning duty of this kind deserves full scrutiny" and have "urged" MLAs to allow that to happen.
"Children in Irish-medium schools, and the families who choose them, need a workforce that can sustain their education. We remain ready to work with all parties and the Department on any concerns about the Bill, and we hope that a workforce plan can be delivered by one route or another."
