TD and principal at odds over who secured funding

A war of words has broken out between a TD and a school principal over claiming credit for securing funding.

Dublin Mid West TD Derek Keating claims any suggestion that he was engaged in cynical opportunism was scurrilous.

Mr Keating was responding to an open letter written by the principal of the Educate Together school in Griffeen Valley, Tomás Ó Dulaing.

In his letter Mr Ó Dulaing accused his local Fine Gael TD of taking credit for something he had nothing to do with.

The letter said: “You never once contacted the school, Griffeen Valley, in relation to our forthcoming extension. Neither did anybody from our board of management or staff contact you to seek your assistance in relation to the extension.”

Mr Keating said he stood by a letter to constituents which listed projects that had been funded in his constituency. He denied he was claiming credit for something he had not played a part in.

“This was a scurrilous letter [from the school]. This is the first time I have ever heard of somebody giving out about a TD who was reporting progress on work in a constituency.

“Apparently the letter was written to me but the first I heard about it was when I got a call from a journalist.”

The principal said he found Mr Keating’s actions objectionable and depressing. He said Fine Gael had supported cutbacks to the education sector including the reduction in special needs assistants. And this, Mr Ó Dulaing said, was at odds with a letter entitled “Derek is Delivering”.

Mr Keating said he was commenting on what was a good story for the constituency.

Mr Ó Dulaing said cuts were also delivered upon the constituency. “In the last two years, since Fine Gael and Labour came to power, our school has lost four-and-a-half special needs assistants for these vulnerable children,” he said.

Mr Keating said there were political tones to Mr Ó Dulaing’s remarks.