By Darren J. Prior
The five TDs for Dublin Bay North elected in late November’s General Election were last week together invited to visit Gaelcholáiste Reachrann in Donaghmede.
The school is the only Gaelcholáiste (Irish-language medium secondary school) in Dublin Bay North and the staff and school community in general have been waiting for the last 24 years for a purpose-built school and facilities to be built to replace their prefabs.
All five TD’s – Tom Brabazon, Naoise Ó Muirí, Denise Mitchell, Cian O’Callaghan and Barry Heneghan – attended on the day.
Speaking to the media in Irish on the day outside the school after their visit Deputy Brabazon, who is also a parent in Gaelcholáiste Reachrann, said:
“At the first (Fianna Fáil) Parliamentary Party meeting I met Minister for Education Norma Foley and I spoke to her and she told me that (the future of) the school
is one of her biggest concerns”.
Addressing the media in English on the day Deputy Brabazon said: “We were given a tour of the school and the various deficiencies in the building were highlighted to us once again.
“There is concern that the school building project is at a different stage to what is maybe being said publicly and that is something that we are going to have to look at now to ensure that the building is delivered”.
Also speaking after the visit Deputy Ó Muirí said: “There is a lot to be done to bring the school up.
“The ethos of the school is great. It really comes out from the school itself.
“The ethos of the teachers, of the students.
“They are doing a great job so they need good facilities”.