School protesters vow to take fight to Dáil

CAMPAIGNERS fighting for a new school to replace the existing structure, which has been described as a potential death trap by fire officers, vowed yesterday to take their fight all the way to Leinster House.

Parents and children from Star of the Sea NS in Passage West, Co Cork, made the threat as their rolling protest escalated.

The school was told in 1999 by then-minister for education Micheál Martin that, if they amalgamated the boys’ and girls’ schools, they would be given a new school building. Today, the 1970s-built co-educational 300-pupil school is filled to capacity, with several rotting prefabs taking over the playground. The school authorities have been warned by the county fire officer that, if there was a fire, at least 60 children on the upper floor would have no means of escape. A new prefab was placed in the staff car park area recently over designated wheelchair parking spaces.

And, despite the fact that wheelchair-users attend the school, the prefab’s emergency access door does not allow disability access.

A letter from Mr Martin was distributed in the area at the weekend stating that a design team was about to be appointed to further the school project. But, speaking after the latest school protest yesterday, Fiona O’Reilly, chairwoman of the school’s joint action committee, comprising parents, teachers and board of management, said they have heard this before.

“What we want is a completion date, not empty promises. Our campaign will continue,” she said.

Local Fine Gael councillor Tim Lombard described the letter as a “cop-out”.

A public meeting is due to take place in the school hall at 8pm next Monday.

whereisournewschool.com

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