School says funding unfair

TWO Dublin schools will share the same building from next week but one will have all its rent paid while the other must fork out thousands of euro.

The irony is that Gaelscoil Bhaile Brigín has been open more than a year and already has almost 70 pupils. But the new Bracken Educate Together School being opened at short notice from Monday has been promised a site for next year and full funding of its accommodation costs by the Department of Education.

Clodagh Ní Mhaoilchiaráin, principal of Gaelscoil Bhaile Brigín, said they are pleased for the progress of the Educate Together school, set up in the last month to cater for more than 100 children who could not be accommodated elsewhere. Both schools are leasing rooms in the Society of St Vincent de Paul’s Sunshine House until next summer, at a cost believed to be more than €50,000 each.