Dempsey’s headquarters to get €24m revamp

PARENTS and teachers have demanded more money for schools after the Government spent €24 million on improving the Department of Education’s headquarters

The Office of Public Works is spending almost €6.6 million on conservation work at Tyrone House, which houses Education Minister Noel Dempsey’s office.

A €17 million project completed on the site last year restored a three-storey fire-damaged building and created three new office blocks, with Minister of State Síle de Valera’s office in one of them.

While parents and teachers acknowledged that work was required, as some of the buildings are more than 250 years old, they said similar priority should be given to dilapidated schools.

Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO) general secretary John Carr urged the Government to make primary school buildings a spending priority for next year as 150 million is needed to bring every school up to standard.

“The Tyrone House repair project was announced in June 2002 but schools which had similar projects announced at the same time have yet to proceed,” he said.

Tuismitheoirí Le Chéile (TLC), a parents’ lobby group looking to upgrade schools also said more money should be made available.

Last night, Ms de Valera said she understood the frustration of people whose schools have been waiting years for funding.

“I know there are schools who feel their issues aren’t being attended to, but extra money is being invested this year and myself and Mr Dempsey will be fighting for more in 2004,” she said.