Local school pleads for new building

A NORTHSIDE school is pleading with the Department of Education and Skills to provide it with a permanent building. 

Gaelscoil Cholmcille was founded in 1996 and has had a temporary structure since 2008 on Coolock Lane. Parents of pupils attending the school said it is too cramped to even host a Christmas concert.

Furthermore, a shortage of classrooms at the Irish language primary school has forced it to turn away more than an entire class of local children every year. 

There is a proposal to build up to 650 new homes on the adjoining site, known locally as Lawrence Lands, as part of Dublin City Council’s City Development Plan 2016-2022. This is further exacerbating the situation for the school. 

David Conway, a member of the parent’s committee at Gaelscoil Cholmcille, told Northside People: “The lifespan of our current temporary building is short, but at the time we moved into it, we were assured that the school would only be in it for a few years.

“If ground is not broken for our permanent building, for which the land has been acquired and fenced since day one, the school will be enveloped in a development that will create a logistical nightmare for future development, and be sold to prospective residents on the fallacy that there are school spaces available right on the doorstep.”

The parents believe that as a result of the new housing plan, their school will need up to 1,400 extra spaces within the next seven years.

Mr Conway emphasised that the school wants to continue to bring in local students but argues that this will not be the case if they do not receive a permanent school before the housing is built. 

“Most of the new housing will be smaller homes and the demographic for smaller homes is younger families,” he stated.  

“They need somewhere to go and if they can’t walk to their local school, then suddenly you’ve got many cars back on the roads going somewhere else. We don’t want people to have to pass our door.

“This is a local school. This is where it belongs and this is where it has set down its roots.” 

Mr Conway said people perceive a Gaelscoil as something that’s a moveable feast: that you could put it in Wicklow and people would still travel to it. 

“That’s not the case with us,” he said. “Eighty-four per cent of pupils are currently within walking distance of the Gaelscoil. The community spirit is exemplary and has helped the school to attract talented and dedicated teaching staff. We are, in this respect, very fortunate.” 

Mr Conway said Gaelscoil Cholmcille has a strong reputation in traditional music and dance, and also in sport, with both girls and boys’ teams competing frequently at Croke Park.

“All this has been achieved despite the fact that the school lacks basis facilities, as it has since its establishment,” he added.   

The school has set up a petition as part of its campaign and it has more than 3,500 signatures so far.

The Department of Education and Skills was unavailable for comment at the time of going to press.   

REPORT: Hayley Halpin