Department’s refusal to pay 65,000 rent bill scuppers parents’ school plan

Education Correspondent

Their parents had spent almost two years planning to open the Limerick City East Educate Together school and were granted provisional approval by the department in May to open this week. But after finding a suitable premises to start up with two junior infant classes, they were astounded when officials said they would not foot the rent as the full building would not be in use for the first four years.

The owner of the building on the Dock Road in the city, purpose-built for educational use, was willing to make it available for at least five years at an annual cost of just 65,000.