The future of the first Irish language school in Coalisland, Co Tyrone, was secured yesterday when it received a £50,000 grant from the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Gaelscoil Ui Neill, which has 45 pupils, was refused funding from the Northern Ireland Department of Education because it did not satisfy the viability criteria. A department spokesman said the vast majority of pupils being educated through Irish in Northern Ireland were in schools which were fully grant-aided.