On behalf of the Parent Association of Gaelscoil Philib Barún, we would like to extend our sincere thanks to everyone who took the time to write a letter to the Minister for Education to highlight the current situation we find ourselves in.

In total, we managed to procure a staggering 1,171 letters and these are now on their way to the Minister’s office.

It has been a difficult couple of weeks for those of us closely involved in the campaign for a permanent building but thanks to the people of Tramore, Waterford and beyond, we are re-energized and even more determined than ever to give our children a school they can be proud of.

Our campaign has been featured in all of Waterford and Tramore’s local newspapers this week, and we thank them all for their continued support:

• Parents Push the Envelope (Tramore Hinterland, 22 March 2012)
• Gaelscoil’s Kick in the Teeth (Waterford News & Star, 22 March 2012)
• Out in the Cold (Munster Express, 21 March 2012)

These, and many other historical articles are available to view on the Media section of the website.

Gaelscoil Philib Barún has issued the following Press Release which has been distributed to local news papers for publication in the coming week:

• Gaelscoil Postal Protest

This, and all other press releases are available to view from the Press Releases page of the school website.

Dear Parent,

The omission last week of Gaelscoil Philib Barún from the Department of Education and Skills’ five-year primary school building programme is unacceptable. The Parent’s Association of Gaelscoil Philib Barún is therefore launching a mass postal protest campaign this week. We need your help in order for this campaign to be successful.

On Wednesday, 21 March 2012, each child will bring home five identical letters and five envelopes. We would like everyone in your household (children and adults) to sign a copy of these letters, adding your address to each copy, and return them to the school in the envelopes provided. Feel free to have extended family, friends and neighbours sign additional copies also. If you have stamps to hand please use them, but if not the Parent’s Association will stamp the letters on your behalf.

Please aim to returned the signed letters to the school by Friday, 23rd March 2012.

Our aim is to deliver 1,000 letters to the Minister of Education next Monday expressing our outrage. The department is obliged to respond to each of these letters.

Download protest letter here.

Regards,
John Breen
Chairperson,
Parents’ Association

Gaelscoil Philib Barún is not the only long-established school to be overlooked in the recent School Building Programme. Gaelscoil Mhic Amhlaigh in Knocknacarra, Co. Galway were also left out of the programme, despite being founded in 1993 – almost a decade after Gaelscoil Philib Barún.

Source: Irish Times

Gaelscoil Philib Barún participated in Tramore’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade again this year. It was a lot of fun this year, thanks largely to Kevin the freindly dragon, but unfortunately our drummers did not receive their harnesses for the Djembas to participate. A special thanks goes to Caoimhín ó Liaghainn who made the dragon. His sons Mochuda and Naoise were the Dragon Slayers.

Attendees

Paudie Coffey TD; John Halligan TD; Ciara Conway TD; Senator David Cullinane; Councillor Joe Conway

Apologies

Maxine Keoghane, Mayor of Tramore; John Deasy TD

Meeting Summary

All gathered were welcomed by the Principal, Daithi de Paor, on behalf of the Board of Management. He stated that the school community was greatly disappointed by the school’s omission from the DES list for school building projects to go to construction over the next five years. It was ironic, he said, that this week the school was informed that architects had been finally appointed to design and build a Gaelscoil at Crobally Upper.

John Halligan, TD, said that he had met the Minister Ruairí Quinn on the matter during the week and he did not seem to be aware of the circumstances pertaining to the school.

Paudie Coffey spoke and stated his longstanding support for the school’s struggle for a permanent building going back to when he raised it in the Seanad in 2008. He was disappointed that the school was not include in the list but did not feel that this could be reversed. The school might be included in the list at a later date if a project failed to progress.

Ciara Conway stated that she was personally connected with the school as she had attended Naíonra Philib Barún. She said the Minister was aware of the school’s circumstances.

Senator David Cullinane said he had raised the matter in the Seanad on Tuesday last and would do so again the following week.

John Kindlon, Principal of Holy Cross school citing the ESRI report on school buildings and the unsuitability of prefabricated classrooms.

Councillor Joe Conway reiterated his support for the school community in its struggle to get a permanent building.

A number of parents spoke and expressed anger and disgust at the treatment of the school by the Minister and his department. Among the speakers were: Donagh Ward; Nelly Cuddihy; John Hayes; Jim Heylin; Aideen Lynch; Jonathan Moore; Elaine Kelly

Caitríona Ní Chuirrín, spoke on behalf of the staff and cited the practical difficulties with teaching in a prefab.

Two pupils, Lumi Kanwei and Finn O’Connor read a letter written by the 6th class outlining their objections to prefabs. Finn remarked on the size of the newly built hall in Holy Cross NS where he had recently visited.

The meeting concluded with a joint undertaking by the attending public representatives to ask the Minister, Ruairi Quinn to meet with them and a delegation from the school as soon as possible.

The Board of Management asks parents and members of the Tramore Community to attend a public meeting at Gaelscoil Philib Barún on Friday next the 16th March 2012 at 11am. The aim of the meeting is to highlight the school’s disappointment at its omission from the DES list of building projects for the next 5 years. All public representatives have been invited to attend.

The Board of Management and school community in Gaelscoil Philib Barún are greatly disappointed with Minister Quinn’s five year school building programme. Even though architects, engineers and quantity surveyors have been appointed this week to oversee the building of a permanent Gaelscoil at Crobally Upper, Tramore, the Minister has not included the school in projects that can go to construction in the period 2012-17. This is despite assurances as recent as last January that, as the Department owned the site and the school was already occupying part of it, there was no reason to delay construction.

The plan can be seen here.

The Board of Management will hold an extraordinary meeting on Tuesday morning (13 March 2012) to discuss this latest setback. The following email has also been sent to local TDs. and we encourage parents to lobby their local representatives on this matter as quickly as possible.

A Theachta, a chara,

The Minister’s announcement of the DES five year programme today has deeply disappointed us. We are about to announce this week the appointment of architects and design team for a new school only to learn that Gaelscoil Philib Barún will not be built for at least 5 years. Madness!!!!!!

The Board Management wishes to meet with you at your earliest convenience to convey our disappointment and anger to you and to ask you to make immediate representation on our behalf.

There are schools on Minister Quinn’s list that have yet to be established yet a school waiting 27 years is at too premature a planning stage to be included!!!

This site is owned by the DES. It has outline planning obviously for a school. There are no impediments to immediate construction. At a meeting with the DES in January we were given to understand that there were no reasons to delay the quick progression of the project through the planning phases.
Waterford will have the Gaelscoil longest in temporary accommodation.
Gaelscoil Riada in Galway, set up 2006, to go to construction 2014
Gaelscoil Chaladh an Treoigh, Limerick, founded 2001, goes to construction 2013

Is mise le brón agus diomá,

Daithí de Paor
Príomhoide,
Gaelscoil Philib Barún

Gaelscoil Philib Barún is delighted to announce that the Design Team for our new permanent school building has finally been appointed. This is a very positive step forward in our campaign for a permanent home and we look forward to continuing the momentum that has been created in recent weeks and months.

The firms are all located within the South of Ireland and include:

• Architects: dhb Architects (Waterford)
• Civil/Structural Engineer: Martin Peters Associates (Kilkenny)
• Mechanical/Eletrical Engineer: Matt O’Mahony & Associates (Cork)
• Quantity Surveyor: Nolan Construction Consultants (Waterford)
• PSDP: Hayes Higgins Partnership (Kilkenny)

The official appointment letter can be viewed here.