Donegal Daily
  • News
  • Sport
  • Courts
  • Jobs
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Politics
  • Features
  • Donegal County Council News
Sunday 17°CMonday 16°C

Donegal Daily Donegal Daily

sponsor banner
sponsor banner
  • News
  • Sport
  • Courts
  • Jobs
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Politics
  • Features
  • Donegal County Council News
NewsPolitics

Seven Donegal schools not getting ‘fair play’ on upgrade projects

written by Rachel McLaughlin February 12, 2018
FacebookTweetLinkedInPrint

The conditions of seven Donegal schools were brought before a Dáil debate recently by Donegal Deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher, who called for action to address their urgent needs.

Pat the Cope has raised the current status of seven different Donegal schools directly with the Minister for Education Richard Bruton.

Five of the schools in question require additional accommodation or improvement works, namely Scoil Adhamhnain, Luinnaigh, St Eunan’s NS Raphoe, Abbey VS, Donegal Town, Scoil Mhuire NS, Creeslough, The Royal and Prior Raphoe.

Two other schools, namely Scoil na gCeithre Maistrí Donegal Town and St Mary’s National School Stranorlar, urgently require new builds.

Pat the Cope said: “I brought to the attention of the Minister that many schools in Donegal simply are not getting fair play from this Government, with many projects dragging on for years with very little or no progress being made.

“Many of these projects are languishing at different stages of progress but ultimately none of them have been given sanction for tender, while others are not even being considered by the Department for approval to move to design stage.

“The current situation in regard to St Mary’s National School and Gaelscoil na gCeithre Maistrí is impossible to defend – both of these schools could easily be moved to tender stage without any cost to the exchequer while at the same time moving the projects to construction stage.

“I am baffled as to why the Department have failed to identify the need for additional school capacity in Scoil Adhamhnain, Luinnaigh, St Eunan’s National School Raphoe, Scoil Mhuire Cresslough; the respective Boards of Management of these schools have been lobbying extensively for additional accommodation within their schools but to no avail.

“I am also aware that the Royal and Prior School in Raphoe is in need of urgent improvement works but despite the urgent need, the Department and the Government have failed to sanction any funding for their application.

“In the case of the Abbey Vocational School Donegal Town, major work need to be carried out in order to deal with the growing numbers, these works need to be urgently prioritised as this year’s intake alone for the Abbey Vocational school will exceed 180 pupils.”

Pat the Cope challenged the Education Minister on the issue of failing to prioritise the various Donegal schools and the backlog of works that many Donegal schools urgently require.

He said: “I put it to the Minister that there is a complete failure to address the needs of the Donegal schools at present and the Government are ignoring the needs of the various schools in Donegal.

“It is apparent the Government are ignoring the Donegal schools and failing to be fair in dealing with applications from Donegal and this is backed up by the fact, that many Donegal schools are longer on the list for approval than some of the newly approved schools elsewhere in the country.

“The Government needs to reassess and review these school projects highlighted by me and restore fairness in the process of approving school projects in Donegal because quite simply at present we are being left behind the rest of the country.

“The schools brought to the Ministers attention by me all deserve to be favourably considered in their own right rather than the current policy of the Department whereby schools from urban areas and the east coast are obtaining approval rather than lesser populated rural schools,” concluded Pat the Cope.

Seven Donegal schools not getting ‘fair play’ on upgrade projects was last modified: February 12th, 2018 by Rachel McLaughlin
FacebookTweetLinkedInPrint

Tags:
Dail EireannDeputy Pat the Cope Gallaghereducationschools
Rachel McLaughlin

LEAVE A COMMENT

You may also like

Blaney family celebrates 100 years as Donegal...

10 hours ago

Rory Gallagher Festival gets green light for...

12 hours ago

Buncrana driver with no insurance, tax &...

13 hours ago

Donegal creatives invited to Artlink information evening

13 hours ago

Community fundraiser launched to support family of...

15 hours ago

Calling all Dohertys – O’Dochartaigh Clann Association...

15 hours ago

Letterkenny man said €1,500 of drugs was...

18 hours ago

Buncrana hit with water outages after burst...

18 hours ago

Three Donegal politicans back Oireachtas Heart and...

18 hours ago

Fantastic €10,000 total announced from fundraiser in...

19 hours ago
Advertisement
Advertisement

Donegal County Council

Facebook
Donegal County Council
Advertisement
Advertisement
Donegal Daily Jobs

Read More

  • News
  • Sport
  • Courts
  • Jobs
  • Sales & Services
  • Obituaries
  • Features
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Council News

Information

  • Contact Us
  • About
  • Advertise WIth Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Terms & Conditions

Our Sites

Donegal Woman
Donegal Woman
Donegal Daily

© 2025 Donegal Daily. All rights reserved.
Website by owenod


Back To Top.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.