Pupils, parents and staff of Gaelscoil na gCeithre Máistrí in Donegal Town staged a protest this morning demanding an eleventh-hour effort to save their new school project.
There is just one day left until the contract for tender for the new school expires.
Plans for an impressive new school building were suddenly stalled two weeks ago as the government paused funding for 58 school projects nationwide.
Diggers were due on the ground at the new gaelscoil site within weeks, before funding was withheld indefinitely due to rising construction costs.
Gaelscoil na gCeithre Máistrí, which has approx 70 students, has been housed in prefabs for the past 24 years.
Teachers held lessons outside this morning to highlight the lack of adequate facilities. The students sat on books on the ground, while parents reached out to Minister for Education Norma Foley online, asking “Cá bhfuil ár scoil?”.
The community campaign demands answers and actions from government. A joint statement said: “Our school is nearly 24 years old and all students have been in prefabs for all of those 24 years. The building was due to start in a matter of weeks until Leo Varadkar announced that 58 school buildings were being halted due to rising costs with no further information.
“The plans are ready, the architecture is ready. The contractor is ready. Their staff have been hired and are ready. Their supplies have been sourced. Their inflation of costs have been accounted for. Why is our school on that list?”
“We need answers and more importantly solutions. And for our building to proceed as planned and on time, this time.”
