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.