The SDLP education spokesman Mr Tommy Gallagher, has the British and Irish governments to review their criteria regarding the funding of Irish language schools. The call comes as parents of children at a Clones gaelscoil begin fund raising for their school after the Government refused it financial aid for the second time.
Three Fermanagh children are among 26 pupils at Gaelscoil Eois in Clones, Co Monaghan, which is one of seven gaelscoileanna that have been refused funding because they do not fulfil Government criteria.
As a result, the parents have to raise thousands of pounds to keep the school operating.
This September, the gaelscoil will open its doors for a second year while facing an uncertain future. A committee was formed when the school was being set up and first applied for recognition, from the Department of Education in April, 1995, five months before the school was due open.
Some parents withdrew their children from enrolment at the school, although parents of 18, children said they could finance it through fund raising.
A second application for recognition was sent to the Department of Education in February, but this was turned down because the school was two, pupils short of the required criteria.
From this September, Gaelscoil Eois will have 26 pupils on its books, 18 junior infants and eight pupils from last year. However, the Minister for Education has insisted there must be at least 20 pupils in one class.
The Gaelscoil Eois chairman, Mr Briain Mac Uaid, claimed the Government was trying to kill off the Irish language. He said: "Our school is currently being funded voluntarily. We are outraged and shocked that we have been refused funding because we are two pupils short of current criteria. However, when we applied for funding we understood that we met the criteria and were confident we would get funding.
"For a Government which is supposed to be promoting the Irish language they are doing their best to kill the native language."
A number of TDs have taken up the matter with the Minister for Education, while the SDLP's education spokesman, Mr Gallagher, a Fermanagh councillor, has called for the criteria, regarding the funding of gaelscoileanna to be re examined.
Mr Gallagher said: "I think the matter of criteria for funding should be reviewed in the North and South because for some schools theme is a difficulty in meeting criteria. These schools represent a form of parental, choice and I believe that should be taken into account."
Ms Denise Crudden, from Magheraveeley, Fermanagh, is, sending her son, Matthew, aged four, to the Clones school in September and will be helping to raise funds.
"The school should be funded, as we cannot keep on funding ourselves. It is going to be a handful for me, as I am pregnant and will have to raise funds as well as arranging transport to the school, nearly three miles away, as Matthew will not get a bus from here", she said.