The ‘forgotten school’
February 2, 2016
PUPILS of a Southside school joined their parents and teachers at a demonstration last week as part of a campaign that is calling for a permanent building.
Gaelscoil Phádraig on Sheelin Avenue is celebrating 20 years in the community after it opened in Ballybrack in 1995.
The pupils, their parents and teachers, and the wider school community, say they are very proud of their gaelscoil in the heart of Ballybrack although the school has been waiting 20 years for a permanent building.
“The school is located in pre-fab classrooms on a very small site,” a statement from the school reads.
“Some of the prefabs are well beyond their intended expiration dates. There is no room large enough to bring the whole school together. Prizes, concerts and other events have to be held in the playground.”
Acting Principal Anthea Ní Bhuachalla praised the young puils as “great”.
“They are enthusiastic and have a great grá for Gaeilge,” she said. “We need our permanent building.”
The school community gathered on Sheelin Avenue last week to “highlight the endless delays with the move to a permanent school building”.
“The Department of Education allocated a permanent building for Gaelscoil Phádraig in 2005,” the chairperson of the Board of Management, Hilda de Róiste, added.
“We were then informed that another school would be moving into that building as a temporary measure. Eleven years later this ‘temporary’ arrangement still continues.”
Aveen Haughton, a parent representative on the board of management stated: “We are very privileged to have a gaelscoil in Ballybrack. But we have been the ‘forgotten school’ for too many years.”
A spokesperson for the Department of Education stated that it was intended that Gaelscoil Phádraig, Ballybrack, will re-locate to a building that is currently occupied by a special school when the construction of another building for the special school is completed.
“The building project for the special school is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning,” the spokesperson said.
“The design team working on the special school project is currently preparing the detailed design documentation for submission to the department for review and approval,” the spokesperson added. “Assuming no issues arise in the review submission, the project will then be authorised to proceed to tender.”
www.dublinpeople.com
