Schools in Clonakilty, Carrigaline, Rochestown, Banduff, and Macroom are awaiting inspections
Labour Spokesperson on Children, Seán Sherlock TD, has expressed concern over the five school buildings in Cork following the revelations surrounding Western Building Systems.
Commenting today Deputy Sherlock said;
“There are five schools in Cork affected by this scandal. Schools in Clonakilty, Carrigaline, Rochestown, Banduff, and Macroom are awaiting inspections. The two campuses that have been inspected so far have both been Dublin based. I hope the need of parents for reassurance in Cork, and the around the country is not pushed down the bottom of the list.
“The State has committed millions to build what should be state of the art facilities. Instead, there are concerns about fire safety and the integrity of external walls. While this may only affect three-story buildings, it isn’t clear how widespread or serious the defects are.
“I am supporting the call for an urgent response from the Minister and the Department of Education to ensure that school communities can be assured their buildings are safe.
“There is also a question mark now over how the school building programme is carried out, and whether the state should now consider having a body such as the OPW which has the skills to hand, to certify the compliance of all buildings works carried out for the state by private contractors.
“The Government must ensure public buildings are up to scratch, and the mid-term break provides the chance for those inspections now to take place.”