Castlebar Educate Together escalate campaign for promised new school

Castlebar Educate Together National School is stepping up its campaign for a promised new school building following eighteen months of deadlock with the Department of Education. 

The school was opened as temporary accommodation in Cavendish Lane back in 2016 with twelve pupils and continued to grow into a three-campus school with 136 pupils today. 

Following school board engagement with the Department of Education, Minister Norma Foley visited the school in September 2022 and, acknowledging that the buildings were inadequate, promised a new school building would be built. 

In early 2023, the school board forwarded potential public and privately owned brownfield and greenfield sites to the Minister’s department as requested. 

Board chairperson, Yvonne Coyne, explained that there has been ‘no evidence’ of contact from the Department to landowners to ‘further investigate site suitability’ or that it has its ‘own list’ of possible sites. 

“We are very frustrated that a year and a half on from the Minister’s promise, a new school building has not been progressed,” said Ms Coyne. 

A recent school board commissioned report by OMD Design consultant engineers into the suitability of the school buildings has reinforced the view of the board, staff and parents that the buildings are not, and have never been, fit for purpose. 

The damning report has been sent to Minister Foley to highlight the dire needs of the school. 

“We are hitting a brick wall when looking for information from the Department. Parents and parents of children who would like to attend Educate Together deserve answers and progress,” said Ms Coyne. 

A public information meeting has been organised by the board and will take place in the Castlebar Scout Den on Thursday, April 11 from 7.30-9pm. 

“Everyone is welcome and the responses from our Oireachtas members, councillors and candidates has been very supportive,” concluded Ms Coyne.