Stalled Westport school says its not to blame for building delay

LIST IS A RED HERRING?Chairperson of the Board of Management of Scoil PhΡdraig, Frank McCarrick.

Stalled Westport school board say they are not to blame for long-term building delay


Neill O’Neill

THE debate around the future of Scoil PhΡdraig has raged in Wetport in recent weeks, and now the Board of Management of the town’s largest school has moved to describe the Department of Education list of projects for building up to 2017, as ‘spurious’, a ‘political stunt’ and a ‘red herring’
The Board, who were criticised by some councillors over their perceived inaction at the last meeting of Westport Town Council, felt they had to speak out at what they felt was ‘inaccurate and unhelpful’ commentary on the matter.

Background
Despite being promised a new school in 2006 when the Convent of Mercy girls’ school and the Christian Brothers’ boys’ primary school in the town amalgamated, and despite having planning permission, a fully designed school and a site secured on the Newport Road, it emerged in recent months that Scoil PhΡdraig was not on the Department’s building list up until at least 2017.
This news came as a shock to many locals and parents and Education Minister Ruairi Quinn wrote to Westport Town Council (in response to a letter they had sent him seeking a deputation in relation to Scoil PhΡdraig) outlining that he was too busy to meet them.
Minister of State Michael Ring then met with Minister Quinn, and a debate raged amongst local councillors on how best to act on the matter, with comments made in relation to what was viewed as inaction by the school’s Board of Management over the years.
While very thankful for the support they have received on the issue surrounding the promised new school building, particularly from Westport Town Council, the Board of Management have decided to explain in full their position on what has become a large talking point in Westport.

Board’s position
Speaking to The Mayo News, Frank McCarrick, Chairman of the Board of Management at Scoil PhΡdraig, said they are not ‘adversarial’, “but there were some comments made that I, as Chairperson of the Board of Management, felt I had to respond to.”
“Politicising the issue is not good at all and making statements that are inaccurate and not right is not helpful and causes offence. I am not saying that everything we do is perfect. The story goes back to 2006, the two schools were amalgamated between January and June 2006, which is unusual as the process often takes two years, but it suited the Department to rush that amalgamation and get it done in that space of time.
“A new 16 teacher school was promised and the site was secured for free to the Department and it was earmarked to be built. It was budgeted for in 2008 but Mary Hanafin was Education Minister and there was a dearth of school provision in north Dublin in Balbriggan. She panicked and withdrew money from schools that were due to be built in the west of Ireland and we were put to the back of the queue.
“That same year I was appointed as Chairman of the Board of Management and we set about trying to get it up and going again, we lobbied for two years and myself and principal Stíofan O’Morain got an appointment with then Tanaiste Mary Coughlan in July 2010.
“The system of building a school goes through about eleven stages, and we told her we wanted to get on an architectural list to get the engine running and the process moving. My understanding when we got on the list was that we would automatically proceed right through. The design team was selected in 2011 and we had meeting with the Department building unit in Tulllamore, we followed the procedure through until 2013, when we had completed stage 2b.
“When we got on the architectural planning list I met Michael Ring at another function and told him this, and he asked me if I wanted political intervention, and I said ‘no, we are up and running and will follow the procedure from here’. The design team and civil servants know what they are doing and we are working with them. We finished stage 2b, we were within budget, had a free site and planning permission and made what they called an excellent submission, they did not change as much as a dot on it.
“Next thing is in February of this year, when we finished the deign stage, we are told you will not be built now as Scoil PhΡdraig is not on this building list. These lists keep changing, different Ministers will decide different things, we understood at all stages that we were on the architectural list and that once we had completed that stage, we would follow right through. I mean how can a school be on a building list if it does not have planning, a site or even a design completed. This list appeared in 2012, and I understood, and the Board understood, we were in there before that list came out.
“A lot of the schools on that list have no site, no architectural planning and no budget, they haven’t completed anything at all, a lot of them will not be built in five years, so for any councillor to say in the council chamber that if we were to be put on the building list now that it would remove another school off the list, that is completely wrong, because the Minister knows right well that none of those schools will be built and he can turn around in 2017 and say we saved €2 billion, because he built no school.
“We were proceeding on the basis of the fact that if we were ready to go, because we were in there ever before that list was created, and we have everything done, all the wrinkles ironed out, and because we were in budget, we should have been given the go-ahead, Of course the Department can do what they want, but this building list is a completely spurious thing altogether, it is a political stunt by the Minister. Yes he has a list of schools, mostly concentrated in large urban areas, but he knows they will not be built. Many of the schools on that list did not know they were on it at all and we are now lobbying for something we were promised in 2006.

Political lobbying
It was debated why the school had not sought political support before now for the project. Frank McCarrick, who retired several years ago after a teaching career, which also saw him serve as principal of Rice College in Westport, answered this.
“We were in due process, and did not feel a need for political lobbying, this was under way, Michael Ring did offer to intervene, but we said we would work with the civil servants at that time. The Minister has a budget for these schools he is never going to build, he has the money, we are ready to go, there is no other school in Mayo, there are three listed for Athenry, three in the one town, and none of them has a site.
“I am 35 years working with officials in the Department and always found being straight and direct with them worked, we had no need for political intervention, if people feel the Board were negligent that is fair enough and is their opinion, but it is not the case, we were working with the process that has always been there for building schools, the list is a red herring and I categorically deny that the board were in any way remiss. Fair or accurate criticism is one thing, but where it is not warranted and incorrect, we have to answer back.
“I have asked the Taosieach and Minister Quinn for a written list of the criteria required before you can get on this list, that was two months ago, but I have received nothing, and I am convinced it does not exist. They keep saying it’s down to demographics, we have a clear demographic need.
“I feel the Minister has a moral obligation to build this school. Promises were made to the students, teachers and parents in 2006, we sat back in the queue to let the Balbriggan project go ahead in 2008, we followed due process, we abided by the rules, we provided the State with a free site and now we are being told our school won’t be built, and it is not because there is no money there, there is money there, talking about that list is a complete red herring, it is not that you are not on the list, the list is there for political reasons, to prevent money being spent, because most of the schools on it will not be built in five years.
“The school has got some bad PR from this which is unfair, the Board is a voluntary body and we have put a lot of work into this.
Recently, a surveyor’s report has found that the old stone convent building is unsafe and is a hazard. Two prefabs will be in use instead next September.
“We cannot use it anymore,” Frank stated. “The report also recommended a complete insulation of the main school building, including replacing windows. This would cost around €200,000. If we are not going to get our new school the Board of Management have an obligation to ensure that the children are safe where they are and that they are in a reasonably comfortable and safe place. The school is an excellent one and the principal, teachers and Board are busy looking after all these other things too.”