Given the government's official commitment to increasing the number of Irish speakers in the state to 250,000 within 20 years, it is natural to presume that the vast majority of these will come from the gaelscoil movement. Will they though?

Given the financial situation, I suggest that as a general rule, the Department of Education and Science recognise new second-level gaelscoileanna, or gaelcholáistí, campaigns before the campaigns for primary gaelscoileanna.

Given that nearly one third of the people of the state live in Dublin, the area is crucial in terms of promoting the Irish language. Many developments at popular-culture level in Dublin have a ripple effect throughout the country,while these developments, if happening in other counties such as Cork or Galway, cannot be expected to automatically become popular in Dublin.

A quick glance at the number of gaelscoileanna in Dublin shows that the movement is strong. There are 39 such schools. However, only eight of them are second-level. There are campaigns for three more of these schools in Dublin and one of them is for a second-level. Imagine the boost it would give the language and movement in Dublin if the campaign for the ninth in Dundrum was given recognition? Even though I personally live in Castleknock and there is a campaign in Tyrellstown for the second primary-level gaelscoil in Dublin 15, if I was the minister, I would naturally give recognition to the campaign in Dundrum first. Indeed, they had 350 students as a target and say that they would be able to double it. The department has still not spent over ¤300m of its budget so far this year. Surely given the government's commitment to promoting the Irish language, the giving of recognition to the campaign in Dundrum should be a given?

Darren J Prior,

Leamháin Chaisleán Cnucha,

Caisleán Cnucha, Baile Átha Cliath 15.

darrenjprior@hotmail.com