Who are Comhar Naíonraí na Gaeltachta?

The objectives of Comhar Naíonraí na Gaeltachta
The services we provide
How Comhar Naíonraí na Gaeltachta operates
     - The Steering Committee
     - The Management Team
How the services operate
Publications
Contact Information

Who are Comhar Naíonraí na Gaeltachta?

Comhar Naíonraí na Gaeltachta (CNNG) was established in 2004 by Údarás na Gaeltachta (the State Authority for the Irish-speaking regions of Ireland) to provide early childhood education services through Irish in the Gaeltacht area’s.  CNNG provide administration, support and training services for early childhood education and care services which includes naíonraí, crèches, breakfast clubs, afterschool services and parent and toddler groups in the Gaeltacht areas.

The objectives of Comhar Naíonraí na Gaeltachta

• To provide high quality early childhood care and education services through Irish in the Gaeltacht areas.
• To ensure that the child and the child's needs and development are centric in all our policies.
• To promote and develop the natural use of Irish among the children attending the services.
• To have ongoing co-operation with the Tusla to ensure that the Childcare Regulations (Preschool Services) (No. 2) 2006 are being implemented in all our services and that those services are compliant to national regulations.
• To co-operate with the Department of Children and Youth Affairs in administering the ECCE, CCS and TEC schemes for the services for which we are responsible.
• To ensure that the national frameworks Síolta and Aistear are being implemented in our services and to provide relevant training on this to our employees.
• To co-operate with all the relevant national and statutory bodies to ensure the delivery of the best service to the children in our services.

The services we provide

• Recruitment and employment of staff for the various services.
• We ensure that all our employees have the relevant childcare qualifications and that the CNNG Recruitment policy is strictly implemented.  
• Development Officers are employed in all the regions in which we operate to provide support and advice to the services.
• We have a Development Officer who is an Accredited Trainer for the Keeping Safe Child Protection Training Programme available to provide training for the employees of CNNG regarding all aspects of child protection.
• We develop support materials for the services such as the ‘Loinnir’ preschool activity programme, the ‘Borradh’ language planning series, Policies and Procedures Manuals and a Forms Manual.
• We organise regular support meetings with all staff to ensure that they have all the support and resources they need to provide a high quality service.
• We liaise with Tusla to ensure that our services are fully compliant with the Childcare Regulations (Preschool Services) (No. 2) 2006.
• We organise Parent Meetings for parents whose children will be attending our services.
• We do the administration work for the various State funding which our services receive.
• We provide a competitive Insurance Group Scheme for our services.
• We provide a Toy Library in the Gaeltacht Regions where services can borrow educational equipment and toys for their service.
• We publish a twice yearly newsletter ‘Bláthú’.

How Comhar Naíonraí na Gaeltachta operates

Comhar Naíonraí na Gaeltachta are overseen by a Steering Committee with representatives from all the Gaeltacht areas. The main office is located in Cuileán, An Cheathrú Rua and we have Development Officers operational in the other Gaeltacht regions.

The Steering Committee

Peadar Ó Maoláin                      Chairman
Seán Shéamuis Ó Fearraigh      Ulster
Siubhán Nic Grianna                  Údarás na Gaeltachta
Aisling Mhic Chumhaill              Ulster
Seán Ó Cuireáin                          Board Member Údarás na Gaeltachta
Orlaith Ruiséal                            Munster
Máirín Ní Mhárta                         Connacht
Micheál Ó Máille                         Nominated by CNNG
Mali Uí Chlochartaigh                Connacht

The Management Team

Manager           Mairéad Mac Con Iomaire
Accountant       Ray Mac Pháidín 
Administrator   Maryanne Uí Chualáin

Development Officers 

Bríd Ní Mhaoildhia            (Connemara and Meath)
Breege Uí Mhurchadha    (Kerry, Cork and Waterford)
Pattie Stundún                   (Mayo, East Galway and North Galway)
Suzanne Nic Géidí            (Donegal)

How the services operate

CNNG provide the overall administrative structure for the services.  All services have local support committees which provide on-going support to the services at local community level.

Publications

• ‘Loinnir’ Activity Programme
• After School Activity Programme
• Scéilín Scéilín (Songs and rhymes suitable for preschool children)
• Dreoilín Dreoilín (Songs and rhymes suitable for preschool children)
• Policies and Procedures Manual for the Naíonraí
• Policies and Procedures Manual for the Childcare Facilities
• Naíonra Forms Manual
• Childcare Facilities Forms Manual
• Safety Statements
• Parent’s Handbook
• Company Brochure
• Information Leaflet “Advantages of Irish”
• Manager’s Handbook, Childcare Facility
• Childcare Employee’s Handbook
• CNNG Newsletter 'Bláthú’
• “Mé Féin” - ‘Borradh’ Language Planning Scheme
• “An Timpeallacht” -  ‘Borradh’ Language Planning Scheme
• “Drámaíocht, Caint agus Spraoi” ‘Borradh’ Language Planning Scheme
• “Saibhriú na Gaeilge”  Ideas and Practical Recommendations
• “Ár nAistear Foghlama" Workbook
• Síolta Manaul
• Early Litearcy & Numeracy Publication

Contact Information

Main Office   091 595337
                       091 595529 (Fax)

                       eolas@cnng.ie

Regional Offices 

074 9560296 (Donegal)
058 46074 (Kerry, Waterford & Cork)
094 9543934 (Mayo & East Galway)
091 595337 (Galway & Meath)