Castlebar Educate Together campaign gathers momentum

The Castlebar Educate Together national school’s campaign for a new building has gained momentum.

A public meeting organised by the school heard testimonies from staff, parents and pupils of their experiences of school life in a three-campus configuration.

Minister for Education, Norma Foley, promised the children a new school building after a visit two years ago, but little progress has been made.

Dáil deputies, local councillors and election candidates listened to first-hand accounts of how the school’s three unsuitable buildings are negatively impacting on the children’s education and wellbeing.

The buildings were declared unfit for purpose in a school commissioned OMD Design, consultant engineers, report earlier this year.

Sixth-class pupil Sarah Scott described how due to the lack of play areas at each campus site, children had to play in a litter filled alleyway and a car park.

_{Sixth class pupil Sarah Scott addressed the meeting}

The student spoke of the excitement when the Minister for Education visited and promised the children a new school building in September 2022, and of the subsequent disappointment when that promise was not progressed.

Despite the setbacks, Ms Scott vowed that the school’s campaign would continue.

School principal Sarah Calvey thanked those in attendance for their continued support and reinforced the school's belief that a site does exist in the town that is ready to be purchased.

Addressing the meeting, Minister Alan Dillon pledged to return to the school’s board of management within seven days with arrangements for a meeting between the school and Minister Foley.

Mayo Deputy, Rose Conway-Walsh, said in support of the campaign: “The Minister must keep her promise to the children of Castlebar Educate Together. I will be doing everything in my power to hold her and the government to account.”

Ms Conway-Walsh called it ‘inexcusable’ to have a school like this being ‘messed around’.

“We need action now to purchase the site and get on with building this school. We will accept nothing less. It was a joy to attend last night's meeting with parents, teachers and children. I commend them for their resilience, but this should not be necessary in 2024 in one of the wealthiest countries in the world,” she concluded.