Costs do not include new buildings for 2022/23 school year
Since the Drogheda Educate Together Secondary School moved to a permanent site at Colpe two years ago the Department of Education has spent over €5million on temporary accommodation but, because a planning application for a permanent building has yet to be lodged, the situation is set to continue for the foreseeable future.
In fact it can only get worse because, yesterday the Fianna Fáil Minister for Education, Norma Foley, told Labour TD Ged Nash that this €5m does not include the cost of installing extra temporary accommodation on the site to accommodate the growing school population for the 2022/23 school year.
Deputy Nash says that the application process for the permanent school should have run in parallel with plans for temporary buildings.
“The Drogheda Educate Together Secondary School badly needs this new accommodation to meet the demand for places at what is a fantastic school. The demand for places at the Mill Road School speaks for itself in terms of the school’s success” he said.
“I have said from the outset that it would make financial sense for the Department to run the lengthy planning process for the permanent school building in parallel with the process for temporary accommodation so the permanent school building could be built earlier.
“It would also make sense for our community and in terms of the educational and social needs of students.
“Their refusal to do that means an eye-watering figure in excess of €5million of taxpayers money has already been spent on short to medium term accommodation – and that doesn’t even include the new units for this coming school year.
“While the Minister says that she expects a planning application for the permanent school to be lodged by the end of the year, she cannot give me a timeline for completion.
“Just because school development always happened a certain way does not mean that the same system has to pertain in perpetuity.
“With major costs already incurred and the clock-ticking, the Department of Education should now use every means at its disposal to fast-track the development of a much-deserved permanent school building for DETSS.”
Rory Scott, guardian of a second year student at DETSS and a leading member of the campaign for the school to remain on site said: “I’m absolutely shocked over €5 million of taxpayers money has been spent and the children don’t even have a playing pitch or grass area to play on, they still don’t have a safe permanent walk and cycle way to the school.
“18 months have passed since the site was confirmed and there is still no sign of planning permission for the permanent school. Do the Department expect our children to be in portacabins for their whole secondary school life?
“Meath County Council have just conditionally approved 95 houses next to the school and yet have made NO provision for our children to have green amenity space whilst these houses are built, our children will be surrounded by multiple construction sites and confined to portacabins with no green amenity space. School Children and their health and fitness facilities should be prioritised over property developments”
Rory said: “sports and outdoor activities make very important contributions to children’s health, personal, social and emotional development; all of which have suffered over the last two years of Covid-19.
“This outdoor amenity area is essential for the coming years as the school is surrounded by large scale construction sites including this housing development and without a large school gym.
“I’m worried that my nephew and his school mates will never experience secondary school with a playing pitch or permanent school building, yet millions have already been spent.
“I’m calling on the Department of Education, Educate Together and Meath County Council to work together now to give the children a green amenity space asap, provide the permanent safe walk and cycle way that is promised for September and too lodge the permanent planning permission without delay.
“I would like to thank Ged Nash for his continued support and ask Local Councillors and TD’s to support the students now.”
