New school site is ‘too cramped’
November 7, 2016
A drive is developing to persuade Education Minister Richard Bruton to allow Gaelscoil Chill Mhantáin to remain at its current site rather than moving to Merrymeeting.
A petition was started late on Friday night and already had over 200 signatures at the time of going to press, while Independent TD Stephen Donnelly has also lent the campaign his support.
Calls are being made to allow the school remain at the site of the old Abbey Community College rather than moving to the Merrymeeting site which critics say is too cramped.
Deputy Donnelly said he has been contacted by a large number of constituents over the proposed building of a new school at Merrymeeting.
‘I visited the site earlier this week and it appears that the outdoor space available to up to 500 students will be the size of two basketball courts and a playground even smaller in area.
‘This is simply not acceptable.
‘It is difficult to understand why, in a county such as Wicklow, the Department of Education has decided to place this school on such a cramped site.
‘The school is currently located on the former Abbey Community College site. Although this site is not perfect, and further works will be required, compared with the costs associated with building a new school, they are tiny. Gaelscoil Chill Mhantáin have been waiting for almost a decade for a new school, but this is simply not the correct site.
‘I am calling on Minister Bruton to act to ensure that the school is located on a site with both the appropriate outdoor area for students and room for expansion.’
Supporters of the campaign to remain at the Abbey site also point out that 52 per cent of Gaelscoil pupils live in Wicklow town, 24 per cent in Rathnew and 24 per cent in surrounding areas.
So far the petition with over 200 signatures has only been launched online at Facebook, but campaigners plan to call door-to-door looking for further signatures.
The petition will then be presented to Education Minister, Richard Bruton, later in the month in a move to try and change his mind regarding a suitable, permanent home for the school.
