WE ARE SICK OF SCHOOL WAIT
Delay isn’t acceptable, public meeting told
EMOTIONS RAN HIGH at Coláiste Ráithín last Monday evening at a public meeting to discuss the fact that the school body cannot enter its new building.
‘We are sick of sitting in cold classrooms, getting chest infections, mould on the walls, everything,’ said fifth year student Hannah Nic Aogain, one of a student population of 270. ‘ This school is crumbling around us and it’s not fair on us,’ said fellow student Alannah Ní Dhonnochú. ‘It’s not fair that we’re left in this situation, and we will not stand for it any more.’
The school is finished, equipment is in classrooms, but the keys have not been handed over.
EMOTIONS ran high at Coláiste Raithín last Monday evening at a public meeting to discuss the fact that the school body cannot enter their new building.
‘We are sick of sitting in cold classrooms, getting chest infections, mould on the walls, everything,’ said fifth year student Hannah Nic Aogain, one of a student population of 270.
‘Let’s cut the rubbish, let’s cut legalities, and let’s get in there,’ Principal Gearóid Ó Ciaráin told parents, teachers and students.
The school is finished, the equipment is in the classrooms, but due to the collapse of British construction giant Carillion, the keys have not been handed over.
Meanwhile, the school has hired new teachers, taken on more students and new subjects including home economics. The home-ec teacher is currently teaching the curriculum without a kitchen.
Neighbouring Ravenswell Primary School is more than 95 per cent complete. Last week, sub-contracted construction firm Sammon left the site.
Meanwhile, the school has hired new teachers, taken on more students and introduced new subjects while governments and international finance companies attempt to get to grips with a contract worth hundreds of millions of euro.
‘On behalf of all the children involved, this is not acceptable,’ said fifth year student Alannah Ní Dhonnochú. ‘We still have voices and we should be heard by the Dáil, by our politicians, everyone.
‘ This school is crumbling around us and it’s not fair on us. It’s not fair that we’re left in this situation, and we will not stand for it anymore.’
Carilion, the Dutch group DIF and the Irish government formed a public-private partnership to build and manage five schools, including two in Bray, and a further education institution.
Ravenswell primary school, neighbouring Coláiste Ráthín on the new site, is more than 95 per cent complete.
Teachers, parents and students at Coláiste Ráithin said that their existing school is unsafe and inadequate. They have been campaigning for a new premises for 23 years. The current school building was only ever meant to be temporary.
Deputy Stephen Donnelly told those gathered in the school hall that lawyers are now examining the contracts to try to find measures to deal with these circumstances. He said that if that isn’t in place, there will have to be a contingency plan.
Deputy John Brady also spoke to the crowd, as did representatives of Ministers Andrew Doyle and Simon Harris – Liz Dillon and Irene Winters.
Chairperson of the parents committee Aileen O’Reilly chaired the meeting.
A science teacher told the meeting that there are certain chemicals she can’t use, as there isn’t proper ventilation in the current building. Students Hannah and Alannah said that there are science experiments they can’t do towards their Leaving until they get access to the new building.
The fear among those at the meeting this week is that the new schools will be dragged into a liquidation process based in the UK, and that they will get lost in a mire of legalities.
They are calling on the government to introduce emergency legislation to allow them to get into their school buildings.
The Carillion issue was due to be discussed in the Dáil yesterday evening, after this newspaper went to print. Deputies invited local people to come to the public gallery.
Deputy John Brady said that he had tried to get the matter on the agenda for a full debate but that it wasn’t possible. This was to be discussed during ‘ topical issues’.