Government schools delay angers parents
The Department of Education and Science was due to determine the applications of 11 groups who were seeking official recognition by the end of April.
However, they have still received no indication of whether they will be able to proceed and open their doors next September.
The delay is causing frustration because many parents need to organise extensive fundraising, arrange temporary school premises and recruit principals and teachers.
Marguerite Hayes from Wicklow town has been involved with the local group of parents who got together last October with a view to opening a new school next autumn: “We have around 70 or 80 children ready to start in September, if we get the go-ahead, but now we are being left waiting by the department. A principal needs to be hired and everything hinges on that, but this is the time of year when schools advertise jobs and teachers apply, so we could lose out if a decision is not made soon.”
She hopes to enrol her two-year-old son, Eoin, in the school, under the patronage of Educate Together, in two years’ time. There are a number of primary schools in the growing town, but the parents of pre-enrolled children wanted more choice. They have provisional agreement from the local rugby club to use their car park for prefab classrooms, which are the subject of a planning application.
However, even if the school receives temporary recognition from the Department of Education, costs of at least €50,000 could be facing the families just to set up and equip the school.
Another 10 groups are in a similar position, including five others under the Educate Together banner in Clonee and Rush, Co Dublin, Newbridge, County Kildare, Ballina, Co Mayo and Limerick City.
A spokesperson for Education Minister Noel Dempsey said there were outstanding issues on the applications, but she would not comment on details. The minister received reports over a month ago from the New Schools Advisory Committee which handles applications for recognition.
Each proposed school group must have a minimum of 17 junior infants in its opening year, and had to make detailed submissions by the end of January to be considered for approval.
Jane McCarthy, development officer with Educate Together, said parents were extremely angry that they had met all the timescales required of them, but the minister had failed to do so, despite his reassurances.
