Parents claim Dept 'herding their children like sheep' as they fear for school's future

Parents at a Dublin primary school have accused the Department of Education of herding their children like sheep.

Classes at Pelletstown Educate Together are held in prefabs but some pupils were forced to travel to other schools when it first opened in 2015.

According to the Herald, parents are worried there will be no school to go to next year because the lease on the temporary site expires in June while work on a permanent building is yet to begin.

This is despite the school getting planning permission in May.

Susan Henry, mother of twins Robert and Shane at the school, said: "For nearly three months they had to travel by bus to Broombridge Educate Together National School as the department didn't get prefabs on the temporary site in time," she told the Herald.

"The department thinks our children are like sheep that can be herded… this isn't what we signed up for.

"Every summer we're worried about where we're going to be next year."

The Minister for Education, Joe McHugh, said the department was tendering contractors for the building works.

A Department of Education spokesman told the Herald yesterday: "Discussions are ongoing between the department and owner of the temporary school site.

"The department will keep the school authorities fully informed as the discussions progress."