Parents target council elections in dispute over school funds

PARENTS will target the Government parties in next year’s local elections if the next Budget does not dramatically improve funding for school buildings.

The campaign group Tuismitheoirí le Chéile (TLC) has identified seven constituencies where Fianna Fáil and Progressive Democrats TDs are vulnerable. They plan to target these seats, beginning at the council elections of summer 2004, unless a €300 million increase is given in November’s Book of Estimates.

The lobby group was set up in anger at the €343 million School Buildings Programme announced by Education Minister Noel Dempsey in January.

TLC spokesperson Florence Horsman-Hogan said if Mr Dempsey did not deliver, “he will see us at the polling stations”.

The first major TLC rally is being held in Cork at the weekend, with parents from around the country invited to lend their support.

Regional organiser John Gilroy said no decision will be made on the election until November, when Finance Minister Charlie McCreevy presents next year’s Book of Estimates.

“If they allocate an extra €300 million to the school building programme, we won’t be campaigning against them at the local elections,” he said.

However, anything short of that will see parents considering standing as candidates or backing members of non-Government parties at the polls.

Mr Gilroy was chairman of his local Fianna Fáil cumann until the publication of last year’s Book of Estimates.

“It was patently obvious then that there would be no major progress for schools this year and that the coalition candidates had lied before last year’s general election,” he said.

The seven constituencies where TLC believes Government FF and PD candidates are vulnerable at the next general election include those of three cabinet ministers, Brian Cowen, Micheál Martin and Éamon Ó Cuív. Their Fianna Fáil party colleagues, ministers of State Willie O’Dea and Frank Fahey, are also sitting TDs in the constituencies being targeted.

The programme published by Mr Dempsey in January was the first time a Government has shown what stage schools in line for new buildings or refurbishment are at. It was seen as a move to make political promises of school projects a thing of the past.

However, the minister has said he is constrained on giving the go-ahead to further projects by whatever funding is made available to him.

Further TLC rallies are planned in Wexford and Galway, on March 24 and 29 respectively.