Fianna Fáil Press Office
Mary Fitzpatrick
Dublin Central
25 January 2016
Minister for Education needs to stop ‘bureaucratic madness’ and support Cabra Gaelscoil – Fitzpatrick
Fianna Fáil candidate for Dublin Central Mary Fitzpatrick is calling on the Minister for Education to stop the bureaucratic madness and immediately release funds for the building of a Gael Scoil in Cabra.
“Last Friday evening the Dept of Education sent a shocking email to the headmaster of Gaelscoil Bharra stating that the building project which should have commenced last year was being “put on hold” pending a budget review.
“The children, teachers, parents and friends of Gaelscoil Bharra, are very concerned, disappointed and angry over this unexpected decision by the Department of Education. They have been operating out of portacabins for years. Four years ago they were promised a purpose-built school and had expected contractors to begin building next week.
“This is a major blow to the school and the local community. What to the department is just a project status update is a major set-back for the more than 200 current pupils, their families and their teachers.
“The Minister needs to stop this bureaucratic madness and immediately release the funds so construction can commence. The pupils, teachers and wider community want to know that a new school will be built and they deserve to know when.
The Dublin Central candidate continued: “The Minister for Education must explain why at this late stage the project is being subjected to a budget review and indefinite delay? The Minister must also explain how long is the review and delay expected to take? What is the purpose of the review? Why was it not conducted prior to now? What has prompted the review? The Minister has a lot of questions to answer.”
