Minister for Education Norma Foley TD has welcomed the announcement from Edmund Rice Schools Trust (ERST) that CBS Synge Street will transition from an English medium, single-sex post-primary school to a co-educational Irish-medium Gaelcholáiste commencing with the first year intake in the school year 2026/2027.

Minister Foley said:

“This is great news for the school and the local community. I am conscious there has long been a demand for a Gaelcholáiste in Dublin 2,4,6 and 8 and I am delighted that we now have one in the heart of Dublin 8. This will increase the provision for Irish-medium education at post-primary level in the wider South Dublin city area.

“This announcement marks a new era for CBS Synge Street, a school with a deep-rooted history in its community. I would like to thank the patron body ERST for working with the Department of Education and expressing their interest to explore this transition to a co-education, Irish-medium Gaelcholáiste. My department is engaging with the patron body and work is ongoing to prepare for the school’s transition for the school year 2026/2027.”

In 2017, Bunscoil Synge Street the neighbouring primary school of CBS Synge Street introduced a Sruth lán Ghaeilge (Irish language Stream) and provides education through Irish for all years. Since the inclusion of the sruth, enrolments at the school have increased by approx. 42%.

RTE is reporting that that there is fury and bewilderment among staff at a well-known and highly regarded Dublin city school over news that it will convert from an English medium school to a Gaelcholáiste from 2026.

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