Ring describes accommodation proposal for Westport’s Sacred Heart School as ‘a waste of taxpayers’ money’

MAYO TD Michael Ring has described a proposal to accommodate students from Westport’s Sacred Heart Secondary School at a building earmarked for one of the oldest schools in Mayo as ‘a waste of taxpayers’ money’.

Deputy Ring accused the Department of Education of letting Holy Trinity NS down after the former Scoil Phádraig was proposed as temporary accommodation for the nearby Secondary School.

Holy Trinity NS – whose existing building has been deemed not fit for purpose – were to be accommodated at a new school building in the former Scoil Phádraig on Altamount Street.

As it stands, the building is to be used as temporary accommodation for the Sacred Heart Secondary School, who are currently using modular accommodation on their school pitch.

Speaking in the Dáil, Deputy Ring voiced ‘disgust’ that neither Minister for Education, Norma Foley, nor the Minister of State for Education, were available to respond to his question.

“I am extremely unhappy with the manner in which Holy Trinity National School are being treated and I will continue to highlight this at every available opportunity,” said Deputy Ring.

Responding to Deputy Ring in the absence of Minister Foley, Fine Gael Minister of State Colm Burke said the existing proposal was ‘the only viable solution to meet this urgent accommodation need in the timeline required’.

Minister Burke said that Scoil Phádraig would only be used by Sacred Heart School students as an interim measure, adding that ‘the Minister wants to reiterate the Department’s commitment to the Holy Trinity National School project and getting it delivered as quickly as possible’.

“The Department is conscious that the use of the former Scoil Phádraig building as an interim solution for Sacred Heart School has raised some concerns on the part of the Holy Trinity National School community. In that context, the Department has had productive engagement with the school’s patron, the Bishop of Tuam, Limerick and Killaloe,” said Minister Burke.

“The Department officials have confirmed to the patron that there is a continued commitment to the delivery of the Holy Trinity National School project and set out some assurances and proposals of how the Department can support Holy Trinity National School in the interim as well as enhancing the overall outcome for the school in the medium term.”

Minister Burke added that the Sacred Heart School project had been slotted into a delivery programme with existing project management support that would mean that ‘the Sacred Heart School project is just one stage behind the Holy Trinity National School project’.

He added that the safe operation of both schools was of ‘paramount’ importance to the department.

“While the interim works on the Scoil Phádraig building will serve as a first phase for the Holy Trinity National School project, the progression of the project for the remainder of the works will be managed in tandem with the Sacred Heart School project, to facilitate the commencement of the works upon the vacation of the building by the Sacred Heart School. Every effort is being made by the Department to fast-track the project,” he added.

In reply, Deputy Ring said it was ‘a waste of taxpayers’ money to renovate this building for temporary accommodation’.

Local county councillor Brendan Mulroy has called on the Sacred Heart Secondary School to reject the offer of accommodation from the Department when the issue was raised at the May meeting of the Westport-Belmullet Municipal District.

Cllr Mulroy has previously accused the Department of Education of discrimination against Holy Trinity NS on the basis of their Church of Ireland ethos.

A proposal to co-locate the school with Educate Together at the former Scoil Phádraig was scrapped following opposition.