The study of the Co Kerry school was carried out by out by Seamus O Longaigh, a member the Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO) executive. 

A previous report by Department of Education inspectors had indicated that there were "severe and significant deficiencies in English" among junior and senior infants and first-class pupils at the school.

This report had been the catayst for the decision of the then Minister for Education Mary Hanafin, to oblige all-Irish schools to introduce English language teaching no later than the start of the second term of junior infants.

Instead of the Quest tests used by the inspectors, Mr O Longaigh used Micra-T reading ability tests to carry out his study.

He claims that the Quest tests were designed to identify reading difficulties and were biased so that pupils with particular difficulties would be identified for further testing.

He said they were not suitable for assessing the standard of English in any class, and did not identify pupils with high skills in reading.

Meanwhile in Northern Ireland, a DUP motion is to be debated in the Assembly calling for the prohibition of the establishment of Irish Medium schools in Dungannon and the wider South Tyrone area.

SDLP Fermanagh South Tyrone Assembly Member Tommy Gallagher said this "blinkered DUP motion" would stand no chance of getting through the Assembly, "as nationalists will not support such an anti-Irish language motion which would mean unfair treatment of Irish medium schools."

He said the DUP were targeting the Irish medium sector and "that's the wrong way to go". (Sources: Irish Independent and other)