THE Department of Education has moved to avoid potentially embarrassing disclosures in the High Court by granting recognition to four new gaelscoileanna in advance of a hearing next Monday.
The decision will take effect from April 7th, the first day of the summer term.
A spokesman for the Department confirmed that the schools in Ballybrack (Dublin), Clones, Maynooth and Enniscorthy had agreed to drop their legal action against the Department in return for official recognition.
A commission set up by the Department was examining the rules for recognising new schools. It was felt desirable to "clear the decks" of outstanding issues in advance of those deliberations, he said.
"We have come to an agreement on this, and the general issues will be dealt with by the Commission on School Accommodation," the spokesman said.
The legal action arose from a controversial decision by the Minister for Education, Ms Breathnach, to refuse the four schools recognition at the beginning of August last year - four weeks before they were due to open. Three other gaelscoileanna, which we're also refused recognition at the same time, have since been recognised.
Bord na Gaeilge called for more resources to be made available "to cater for the increasing demand for-Irish-medium schooling".