Permanent School sites needed not more Government Press Releases

Labour representative for Dun Laoghaire, Cllr Deirdre Kingston has welcomed the announcement of An Foras Pátrúnachta as the new patron for an eight-classroom school in Booterstown and Blackrock, but said there are now two new primary schools in the area without a definite site solution, with a post primary school planned for the area as well.

Cllr Kingston said:

“There appears to be no coherent plan for the schools being announced in the Dun Laoghaire and Blackrock area. While it is positive that new school places are being announced in an area of increasing demand, the Government need to follow through with permanent school sites.

“We need a plan to be set out detailing where these schools will go, and when they will be delivered. We can’t keep putting children into prefabs with no idea of how long they will be there. It’s unfair and it’s unsustainable.

“This is the second school now that’s been announced without a plan for a long-term site solution. Dun Laoghaire Educate Together NS are in temporary accommodation, and now the new Blackrock primary school will be put into temporary accommodation.

“We need to learn from the National Children’s Hospital debacle and actually plan on how we are going to realise these capital projects, starting with where they are going to go. Parents need assurance and certainty.

Recently, a site was bought in Blackrock but we don’t know what is going there. With a junior Minister for Education in the area, parents would appreciate concrete information and a strategic plan for the schools announced, rather than just another press release.”