Gaelscoil Chnoc na Ré, Sligeach Sligo's Irish Medium Primary School
NÓTA TÁBHACHTACH ón mBORD BAINISTÍOCHTA – IMPORTANT NOTICE FROM BOARD
A thuismitheoirí, a chairde,
Mar is eol daoibh tá an Bord Bainistíochta ag obair i gcónaí chun brú a chur ar an Rialtas foirgneamh buan a sholáthair d’ár scoil. Ni raibh an socrú ata ann faoi láthair, ina n-oibríonn an scoil ó chóiríocht shealadach agus seomraí ranga réamhdhéanta, ariamh sásúil nó inghlactha, ach go háirithe anois agus an scoil ag fás. Ar bhealach táimid ag fulaingt de bharr an rath atá orainn – fás ar uimhreacha meallta chun na scoile de bharr ardchaighdeán oideachais trí mheán na Gaeilge maraon le cáil láidir, ach fós ag oibriú ó chóiríocht mhíchuí.
In ainneoin ár n-iarrachtaí leanúnacha, is oth linn a thuairisciú nach bhfuil aon fhianaise againn ar aon dul chun cinn suntasach go dtí seo. Tá a fhios againn go bhfuil an Roinn Oideachais agus Scileanna in idirphlé le Comhairle Chontae Shligigh i dtreo suíomhanna oiriúnacha a aithint do scoil nua. Tá a fhios againn go bhfuil an Chomhairle tar éis comhoibriú leis an Roinn i dtreo na críche sin. Mar sin féin, chomh fada agus is eol dúinn, níl an Roinn tiomanta do suíomh nua go fóill agus níl siad ag bogadh i dtreo suíomh a fháil. Tuigimid go bhfuil liosta nua mórthionscadal tógála scoile le foilsiú go luath agus ní mór dúinn a chinntiú go bhfuil Gaelscoil Chnoc na Ré ar an liosta seo.
Chreideamar go raibh cinneadh na Roinne, sé sin suíomh a aithint leis an gComhairle, mar fhianaise go raibh ag éirí lenár n-iarrachtaí. Mar sin féin, níl an comhfhreagras le míonna beaga anuas ag soláthar aon chaidreamh úsáideach ná fiúntach. Tá frustrachas ar an mBord nach bhfuil ár n-iarrachtaí ná an géarghá le scoil nua ag dul i bhfeidhm ar an Roinn agus iad á ghríosadh i dtreo scoil nua a gheallúint nó fiú suíomh a cheannach. Caithfidh go bhfuil sé soiléir don Rialtas nach féidir leo scoil nua a chur ar an méar fhada a thuilleadh.
Ní mór dúinn anois ár gcur chuige agus fócas a athrú agus ár n-iarrachtaí a threisiú. Tá rún daingean againn go mbeadh scoil ceart againn mar atá tuillte ag daltaí agus pobal na scoile. Tá ár riachtanais práinneach agus tá tacaíocht tuillte againn. Is féidir leat cabhrú freisin. Le do thoil, déan stocaireacht ar na Teachtaí Dála agus Seanadóirí áitiúla agus go deimhin iad siúd lasmuigh den dáilcheantar lena mbíonn tú i dteagmháil. Iarr orthu brú a chur ar an Roinn gníomhú láithreach, scoil nua a chur chun cinn agus tús a chur le idirphlé fiúntach agus cuiditheach leis an mBord Bainistíochta. Go háirithe iarraimid go nardóidh tú na nithe seo a leanas:
- Cad é rátáil bhanda (ie ord tosaíochta) na scoile ós rud é go bhfuil an géarghá le foirgneamh buan níos práinní fós?
- Tuigeann an Bord go bhfuil liosta nua de mhórthionscadal tógála scoile le foilsiú go luath agus glacann siad leis go mbeidh Gaelscoil Chnoc na Ré ar an liosta seo, le hardtosaíochta tugtha toisc an staid ina bhfuil sí. An féidir tuiscint an Bhoird ar an ábhar seo a bheith deimhnithe?
- Tuigtear don Bord freisin go bhfuil iarrtha ag an Roinn ar an gComhairle Aitiúil suíomh scoile a aimsiú. Cad é an staid reatha maidir leis an togra seo? Cathain a dhéanfar cinneadh ar an tuairisc atá curtha ag an Comhairle chuig an Roinn agus cad é an phróiséas ina leith as seo ar aghaidh?
- An bhfuil an Roinn sásta bualadh go práinneach le ionadaithe an Bhoird, mar a d’iarr siad, leis na ceisteanna seo a phlé go mion?
Thíos, mar chúnamh duit, tá sonraí teagmhála na hionadaithe poiblí don dáilcheantar seo.
Is mise, le meas,
Bartley Ó Gabháin, Cathaoirleach
Dear Parents,
As you will be aware the Board of Management is constantly working to have the Government commit to providing a new building for our school. The arrangement where the school operates from temporary premises and out of prefabricated classrooms was never satisfactory or acceptable, but is much less so now as the school continues to expand. In some respects the school is a victim of its own success – expanded numbers, attracted to the school because of its Irish medium education coupled with a strong reputation, yet expected to operate from very inadequate facilities.
Despite our continuous efforts we regret to report no evidence of any tangible progress to date. We know that the Department of Education and Skills have been in dialogue with Sligo County Council towards identifying suitable sites for a new school. We know that the Council have cooperated with the Department towards that end. However, as far as we are aware, the Department have not committed to a new site and have not moved to acquire a site. We understand that a new major school building project list is to be published soon and we need to ensure that Gaelscoil Chnoc na Ré is on this list.
The initiative by the Department towards identifying a site with the Council was, we believed, evidence that our efforts were bearing fruit. However, correspondence in recent months is not yielding any useful or meaningful interaction. The Board is frustrated that its efforts and the undeniable need of the school cannot cause the Department to engage or commit to a new school or even the purchase of a site. It must surely be apparent and indeed obvious to Government that a new school cannot be put off any longer.
We now need to alter the approach and campaign focus and intensify our efforts at every opportunity. We are determined to have a proper school as our community of pupils deserve. Our needs are very real and are very genuinely deserving of support. You can also assist. Please lobby all local TDs and senators, and indeed those from outside of the constituency with whom you may have contact. We would ask that you request that they pressurise the Department to take immediate steps to progress a new school and ask that a meaningful and constructive dialogue be entered into with the Board of Management. In particular, we ask that you raise the following:
(1) What is current band rating (i.e. order of priority) for the school now that the need for a permanent building is now even more urgent?
(2) The Board understands that a new list of school building major projects is to be published soon and assume that Gaelscoil Choc na Ré will be on this list with priority status given due to our situation. Can the Board’s understanding of this matter be confirmed?
(3) The Board understands also that the Department has requested Sligo County Council to identify a site for a new school. What is the current status of this project? When will a decision be taken on the report submitted by the Council to the Department and what are the next steps under this process?
(4) Will the Department urgently meet with representatives of the Board, as requested, to discuss these issues in detail?
Below for your assistance are contact details for the public representatives for this constituency.
Is mise, le meas,
Bartley Ó Gabháin, Cathaoirleach
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AIRE
Jan O’Sullivan minister@education.gov.ie 01 618 3434, Minister for Education and Skills, Leinster House, Kildare St., Dublin 2.
TDs
John Perry john.perry@oireachtas.ie – 087 2459407
Tony Mc Loughlin mcloughlintony@eircom.net – 087 6633587
Michael Colreavy michael@colreavy.net – 087 2499476
SEANADÓIRÍ
Sen Marc Mc Sharry mmacsharry@oireachtas.ie 0862674764
Sen Imelda Henry imelda.henry@oir.ie 087 8177777
Sen Michael Comiskey michael.comiskey@oir.ie 9164245/01 6183453
Sen Susan O Keeffe susan.okeeffe@oireachtas.ie 085 1314084/ 01 6183870
Sen Paschal Mooney paschal.mooney@oireachtas.ie 071-9641236/0872545613
Ba mhór againn bhur dtacaíocht a léiriú trid dul i dteagmháil le polaiteoirí (féach thíos)
We would appreciate your support by writing to all or some of the local & national politicians below:
Jan O’Sullivan TD minister@education.gov.ie 01 618 3434
Minister for Education and Skills. Leinster House, Dublin 2.
TDs
John Perry john.perry@oireachtas.ie – 087 2459407
Tony Mc Loughlin mcloughlintony@eircom.net – 087 6633587
Michael Colreavy michael@colreavy.net – 087 2499476
SEANADÓIRÍ
Sen Marc Mc Sharry mmacsharry@oireachtas.ie 0862674764
Sen Imelda Henry imelda.henry@oir.ie 087 8177777
Sen Michael Comiskey michael.comiskey@oir.ie 9164245/01 6183453
Sen Susan O Keeffe susan.okeeffe@oireachtas.ie 085 1314084/ 01 6183870