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Parents vow to fight on for school

Thursday, 29 May 2008

PARENTS in Carpenterstown have warned that they will continue to fight for their right to a choice of school for their children following the recent refusal of recognition for their Educate Together Primary School.
Carpenterstown Educate Together were devastated when they were not included in the Department of Education list of recognised schools for September 2008.
But despite the major setback they say that they will be making their presence felt more than ever and intend to appeal the decision on several grounds.
In a statement announcing the list of recognised schools, former Minister for Education, Mary Hanafin, explained that Carpenterstown would not receive recognition due to a new model of VEC primary school being piloted in the area from September.
And new Minister, Batt O'Keeffe, confirmed the decision saying significant additional levels of primary school provision made in the area in the past three years were enough for the time being.
Educate Together work to open non fee-paying national schools which are multi-denominational, child centred, co-educational and democratically run.
Local mother-of-two and chairperson of the Carpenterstown Educate Together Start Up Group, Maggie Hyland, says the local Educate Together project has huge popular support in the area with pre-enrolment figures of over 260 children.
“Most of us have been refused enrolment in the schools closest to us and this has forced us to look at our children’s primary education with a more critical eye,” she explained.
“That is how our group developed as each of us learned of the merits and values of one particular patron - Educate Together - and knew it offered the type of education we were seeking for our children.”
With the highest pre-enrolment figures in Educate Together history, the group was convinced that their application would be a success. They are currently seeking legal advice and will be raising the matter with the New School Advisory Group.
“There is a general feeling of dismay that we have been ignored but we are not just going to go away,” said Ms Hyland.
“The Minister for Education has stated that the new model of primary education VEC schools will only be piloted in areas where no other patron exists.
“This is clearly not the case in the Diswellstown/Carpenterstown area but the introduction of a local VEC primary school continues regardless. The development of this school has also taken place without a single word to local parents.”
In total, 22 new schools, 12 of which will be run by Educate Together, were approved by the Minister. In a statement the possibility of an Educate Together school for Dublin 15 was not precluded.
“Because the new model of primary schools patronage is to be piloted in this area from September 2008, it is not proposed to approve this application from September of this year,” the Minister said.
“However, given the anticipated continuing increase in primary enrolments in the area, this does not preclude the approval of such an application at a later date.”
A recent public meeting hosted by Educate Together was addressed by TDs Leo Varadkar from Fine Gael and Joan Burton from Labour who have called for the situation to be addressed as a matter of urgency.
Deputy Varadkar said he was disappointed by the decision to refuse recognition to the new school.
“It is abundantly clear that there is strong support for an Educate Together school in the Carpenterstown area,” he said.
In a response to a question from Deputy Burton, Minister O’Keeffe said the decision had been made after taking into consideration the report and recommendations of the New Schools Advisory Committee (NSAC).
“It was decided not to grant recognition to the school to which the Deputy refers, at this time,” the response reads.
“In recognising a new school, cognisance needs to be given to the demand on resources so that the State can ensure efficiency and equity in the allocation of constrained resources.
“In that context, and given the significant additional levels of primary school provision made in the area in the past three years, I am satisfied that sufficient provision has been made to serve the current and future population in the medium term. I am satisfied that appropriate diversity of provision has also been provided.
“On that basis, recognition has not been granted to the proposed new school at this time. This does not preclude recognition at a future date.”
Deputy Burton said she understood that an appeal for the recognition of the school is to be heard shortly.
“The new Minister has an opportunity to gain an immense amount of goodwill from parents in the area,” she said.

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