Forbairt Naíonraí Teoranta (FNT, English: Pre-school Development Foundation) is a voluntary organisation that works to encourage the development of Irish language

Irish language

Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...

 childcare and education services throughout Ireland. They are based in Dublin, Ireland. Forbairt Naíonraí Teoranta is funded by Foras na Gaeilge

Foras na Gaeilge

Foras na Gaeilge is the governing body of the Irish language, responsible for the promotion of the language throughout the island of Ireland. Its name can be translated into English as "The Irish Language Body", although the body has no official English-language name...

and the Office of the Minister for Children.

History

Forbairt Naíonraí Teoranta was founded in 2003 by Na Naíonraí Gaelacha and Bord na Gaeilge (now Foras na Gaeilge), to act as a successor to An Comhchoiste Réamhscolaíochta, which was set up in 1978. While An Comhchoiste looked after the country as a whole, FNTs remit now consists of all areas outside the Gaeltacht

Gaeltacht

is the Irish language word meaning an Irish-speaking region. In Ireland, the Gaeltacht, or an Ghaeltacht, refers individually to any, or collectively to all, of the districts where the government recognises that the Irish language is the predominant language, that is, the vernacular spoken at home...

, with Comhar Naíonraí na Gaeltachta operating in the Gaeltacht regions.

FNT provides advice and support to anyone wishing to use Irish with children. Its main focus is the foundation and development of childcare and education services through the medium of Irish. It provides particular support and training in order to establish, develop and run the following services through Irish: naíonra

Naíonra

A naíonra is an Irish medium playgroup for pre-school children, which follows the principle of Total Early Immersion.-Definition:...

í (pre-schools), naíolanna (crèches), parent/guardian and toddler groups, after school services and summer camps. In addition to providing advice and specific training courses, they also and assist in the provision of insurance and distribute grants to existing naíonraí.

FNT also run courses, through the medium of Irish, for those working in Naíonraí. The main courses they provide are an Intensive Training Course and FETAC Childcare Level 5 and 6.