PARENT and pupil power finally paid off last week with the announcement that St Mochta’s NS in Clonsilla has been given the go-ahead to proceed to tender for their new school.
Earlier this month over 500 pupils, parents and supporters marched on Dáil Éireann in protest over a 10-year wait for a long-promised school building.
Conditions in the school have been the cause of much frustration, with buckets often left out to catch water from leaks and pupils and children forced to wear coats because of the cold in winter.
Classes are being held in increasingly cramped rooms but the final straw came when the building project finally got the go-ahead last November, only to be postponed a few months later.
A campaign under the banner, St Mochta’s School Build Action Group (BAG) was started and quickly gathered momentum before climaxing with the Dáil march on October 5.
Parents were prepared for a long battle with more protests but on Budget Day last week their cries were answered when it was announced that the school could put the project out to tender.
Construction companies will now bid for the job and once the construction work is complete, St Mochta’s will have 4,791 sq mts of new accommodation and a 32 classroom school.
Dublin West TD and Minister for Social Protection, Leo Varadkar, welcomed the Budget Day news.
“I am delighted that the Department of Education and Skills has been able to allocate funding to allow St Mochta’s to go to tender,” he said.
“This has been a long journey for those involved and I wish them every success with their build. Fine Gael in Government is determined to ensure that our recovering economy can benefit everyone in society.
“Our children should be number one on this priority list and it is really important that they can learn in a safe and modern environment.”
The school is now due to be contacted directly by the Department’s School Building Unit shortly with details on the project and the funding amount awarded.