State funding for school revamp may no longer exist
At a meeting this week of staff and parents of pupils at St Angela’s College in Cork city, Enterprise Minister Micheál Martin was unable to say if money for the project had been set aside in this year’s budget. This is contrary to a commitment given earlier this year by Education Minister Mary Hanafin that the money was there once all issues raised by her department’s planning and building unit had been addressed.
Mr Martin announced funding approval for the redevelopment and refurbishment project in 1999 when he was Minister for Education.
St Angela’s College has a gym hall less than one tenth the recommended size, a home economics kitchen which inspectors from the Department of Education said needs urgent investment on health and safety grounds, an antiquated science laboratory and narrow stairwells — unsafe in the event of fire.
According to school principal Rosalie Moloney, the school has complied with every request from the Department of Education since 2000 in an effort to advance the project, yet little progress has been made.
Up until last week, the school had been assured that money for the project was there, but following Mr Martin’s comments at a meeting hosted by the parents’ council, the school is seriously concerned.
Deputy principal Geraldine Quilter said Mr Martin had appeared to row back on his commitment.
“He was challenged on the fact that we had been told there was no problem with the money once we sorted out the technical issues, but he gave absolutely no guarantee that that is still the case.
“The fear now is that we’re back to square one, particularly because of the number of primary schools in the Dublin area looking for investment,” said Ms Quilter.
A statement from the Department of Education provided no reassurance. It said the department was spending €540m this year on school building, but that projects are given the go-ahead on a rolling basis “and naturally the overall position in relation to individual projects is monitored on a regular basis, as with all major capital projects, to ensure that expenditure is in line with funds”.
Asked if St Angela’s College would receive funding this year, the department said “when projects are moving through, we have to make sure the money is there, and as with all projects, you have to wait in line”.
St Angela’s College, attended by 524 pupils and with 40 teachers, is 120 years old.
