Labour Party TD Joan Burton has called on the Minister for Education, Mr. Noel Dempsey TD and Minister of State, Mr. Brian Lenhian TD to meet, as a matter of urgency, with parents and Management of Castleknock Community College to discuss the crises which has developed at the school in relation to a shortage of places.

Labour Party TD Joan Burton has called on the Minister for Education, Mr. Noel Dempsey TD and Minister of State, Mr. Brian Lenhian TD to meet, as a matter of urgency, with parents and Management of Castleknock Community College to discuss the crises which has developed at the school in relation to a shortage of places.

Last week, the Castleknock Community College, held its annual lottery for school places for children now in 5th Class and due to attend the school in September 2004. The popular school always has high demand for places but this year up to 50 children have been left on a waiting list.

Due to the extensive amount of house building in the catchment area of the school, it’s population has steadily risen and now stands at over 11,000. While the Management, Principal and Teachers of the school are anxious to facilitate the students, they cannot do so, said Joan Burton, unless they have the facilities to accommodate the numbers.

“In 1998, Fianna Fail and the PDs promised the School a purpose built gym and other facilities to cope with the large number of pupils. However, although these facilities were promised and had gone to planning and through various other steps in the Dept procedure for permitting building work, nothing has happened. In the context of the Government cutbacks in education, the school is now left in no-mans land on the waiting list of work to be completed.”

Joan Burton added that it is simply outrageous that the Government is encouraging so much building in Dublin 15, while adamantly refusing to provide proper educational facilities at either First or Second Level. There are some 5 schools at primary level which were promised new buildings, such as at Littlepace, or refurbishment. There are also 2 second-level schools, Castleknock Community College and Coolmine, which were promised additional buildings. In fact, Coolmine was promised a new school.

In addition, a site reserved for a new Second Level school at Hansfield, Clonee, has not even yet been acquired by the Dept of Education and no planning has commenced in relation to that particular school.

“There is a crisis which is extremely distressing for children and their parents. It is not fair that a child, now in 4th Class should now find out that he or she has no guarantee of a place in school while all of their friends are going to the local secondary school.”

Joan Burton said that the Government must take action as a matter of urgency by allowing the additional building work to go ahead. She said she would be raising the matter in the Dail and she understood that affected parents were arranging a meeting to campaign on the issue