Sinn Féin councillor Mícheál Mac Donncha has written to the Minister for Education Helen McEntee about the Belmayne Educate Together Secondary School.
The Donaghmede councillor said that he and Sinn Féin colleague Denise Mitchell are seeking answers from the Department of Education about why they are planning to rid the school of an open-air recreation space.
Mac Donncha told Northside People that the school wants to accommodate a special school on its grounds, but the Department of Education are unwilling to engage with the school on the alternative plan.
In the letter, Mac Donncha said he has “great concern” about the plans.
“This new school, only recently opened, was built to accommodate 1,000 students and this space is integral to its design and essential for the health and wellbeing of students,” he said.
“Yet the Department plans to place a special school housed in prefabs on this site. The need for a special school is of course recognised and its provision is fully supported but not in a way that removes an essential element of the existing school.”
The Sinn Féin councillor noted that the board of management at the Belmayne school have met with officials at the Department of Education and they have “refused to hear the alternative proposals” in the plan.
He also stressed that the school itself has no problems with housing a special school on its grounds.
“The board of management has offered to accommodate the special school in Phase 2 of the school build, where they would have access to the necessary facilities while ensuring both student groups retain access to the much-needed outdoor space,” he said.
“I am satisfied that the Belmayne school is committed to providing an inclusive and safe environment for all students, and they believe this proposal would allow both groups to benefit from the shared outdoor area and the excellent new facilities”
“But on the other hand, if the Department of Education persists with its proposal, the special school would be housed in prefabs and students of both schools would be deprived of adequate recreation space.”
He called on the Department of Education to accept the proposal by the board of management and on the matter to be discussed in the Dáil.
Dublin Bay North TD Denise Mitchell submitted a Dáil question on the topic, but did not receive a “substantial response.”