Castlebar Educate Together take search for new school to Leinster House

A Castlebar school currently operating from three different buildings have taken their search for a new school building to the gates of Leinster House. 

Castlebar Educate Together demonstrated outside the Dáil to highlight the need for a dedicated school building. 

Minister Alan Dillon, TD renewed his commitment the acquiring the former hat factory site in Castlebar for a new school building. The factory, located near Marsh House in the centre of Castlebar, which is currently being used by Castlebar Educate Together, has been vacant for several years. 

“Despite delays and limited engagement from the Department of Education, along with a need for stronger support from Educate Together patrons, I remain determined and focused on moving this project forward,” Minister Dillon stated. 

The non-denomenational primary school were joined at the protest by various other politcians, including Mayo senators Lisa Chambers and Paddy Burke and Mayo Sinn Féin TD Rose Conway-Walsh and Fine Gael TD Michael Ring. 

Minister Norma Foley committed to delivering a new school building for Castlebar Educate Together back in 2022.

Castlebar Educate Together principal Sarah Calvey described their protest as ‘a great opportunity to have in person conversations with the CEO of Educate Together, Emer Nowlan, and Oireachtas members from all parties.’

“I had frank discussions with our patron and elected members. No one had the opportunity to blame the other, instead the pupils brought it all back to it being everyone’s responsibility to raise these issues further with the Department of Education,” she said.