EDUCATION Minister Caitriona Ruane launched the new campaign, Ó Neart go Neart (from Strength to Strength), and the the new website of Irish medium schools body, Iontaobhas na Gaelscolaíochta, at an event in Stormont on Monday, October 1.

Iontaobhas has been supporting Irish medium education since 2001 and has distributed almost £4 million to date to communities throughout the north to fund pre-schools, primary and post-primary provision through Irish.

The group, however, has recently devised a unique campaign in the Irish language by initiating a multi-level fundraising campaign through partnerships with individuals and philanthropists who seek to aid the promotion of education through Irish.

"This, our first campaign, named from Strength to Strength, is a reflection of the current state of our sector in the north," said Dr Réamaí Mathers, fundraising manager.

"Our sector has gone through significant growth in the last 30 years; however, this strong foundation needs now to be built upon as we move to the next stage in the development of the sector. This, our first fully fledged campaign, has a target to raise £2.5 million for building pre-schools, primary and post-primary, staff training and capacity building within the sector."

With the official launch of its campaign, new website and with a prominent American fundraiser specialist on board, InaG is confident in the future.

"We have already over £1million donated or committed to the scheme from the private sector and we have not even launched yet," said chief executive Pilib Ó Ruanaí. "We are confident that this partnership with the broader community will bring the linguistic, social and educational advantages of being educated bilingually in our own native language to new generations and communities."

It is also noteworthy that this is the first year ever that there are no Irish primary schools without state funding, another milestone for Irish medium schooling, he pointed out.