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.

A Thuistí,

Ní feidir glacadh le eisiamh ainm na scoile seo as liosta tógála cúig bhliana na Roinne Oideachais is Scileanna. Tá Coiste na dTuistí chun ollfheachtas poist a láinseáil an tseachtain seo. Tá do chabhair uainn ionas go n-eireoidh linn é seo a chur i gcríoch.

Amárach gheobhaidh do pháiste cúig litir chomhionainn agus cúig chlúdach litreach. Teastaíonn uainn go síneoidh gach duine i do theach, páistí agus aoisigh, cóip den litir, ag cur isteach do sheoladh ar gach ceann agus iad a fhilleadh sna clúdaigh sholáthartha. Iarr ar theaghlaigh sínte agus comharsain is cairde iad a shíniú chomh maith. Má bhionn stampaí agat chuir iad orthu, muna bhfuil cuirfidh coiste na dtuistí iad orthu. Bíodh na litreacha ar ais roimh an Aoine an 23ú lá Márta.

Sí an aidhm atá againn ná 1000 litir a sheachadadh go dtí an Aire Oideachais is Scileanna roimh an Luan seo chugainn. Ní foláir don Roinn freagra a thabhairt ar gach ceann dena litreacha seo.

Download protest letter here.

Le buíochas,
John Breen
Cathaoirleach,
Coiste na dTuistí

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

Bhiomar páirteach sa mhórshiúl ag Lá le Padraig sa trá Mhór.  A bhuí le Caoimhín an Dragúin cairdiúil bhí scléip agus spraoi ag cách.  Maith thú Caoimhín agus maith sibh Mochuda agus Naoise as an tollphéist a cheannsú agus é ag sní anuas na priomhsraide.

I Lathair

John Halligan TD, Paudie Coffey TD, Ciara Conway TD, agus an Seanadóir David Cullinane agus an Comhairleoir Seosamh Ó Conbhuí.

Bhi leithscéalta

Maxine Keoghan, Méara na Trá Móire, agus John Deasy TD.

Coimriú

D’fháiltigh an Príomhoide, Daithí de Paor, thar cheann an bhoird bainistiochta agus do mhaígh sé go raibh díomá géar ar phobal na scoile de bharr nach raibh Gaelscoil Philib Barún luaite ar liosta na Roinne do thógáil go ceann cúig bhliana. Dúirt sé gur ioróineach an scéal é go raibh litir factha ag an scoil an tseachtain céanna ag ceapadh ailtirí agus foireann dearaidh.

Labhair John Halligan agus luaigh sé cruinniú a bhí aige leis an Aire Ruairí Quinn inar ardaigh sé scéal na scoile seo. Dar le John ní raibh an tAire ar eolas faoi sonraí na scoile.

Labhair Páidí Ó Cofaigh agus luaigh sé a thacaíocht do chas na scoile ag dul siar go dti an uair gur ardaigh sé ar gcás i 2008 ss tSeanad. Bhi diomá air nach raibh an scoil ar an liosta tógála. Ní raibh sé den tuairim go n-athrófaí an liosta ach d’fhéadfadh an scoil a bheith curtha isteach muna féidir dul ar aghaidh le scoil eile ar an liosta má bhíonn airgead ar fáil.

Labhair Ciara Conway, TD, agus do mhaígh sí go bhfuil an tAire ar eolas faoin scoil. Luaigh si a ceangal pearsanta leis an scoil agus go raibh díomá géar uirthi chomh maith ar fheiscint an liosta di.

Do luaigh an tSeanadóir Daithí ó Cuillenain gur ardaigh sé cás na scoile sa tSeanad an Mhairt seo caite agus go mbeidh sé faoi chaibidil arís aige an tseachtain seo chugainn.

Labhair John Kindlon, Priomhoide Scoil na Croise Naofa thar cheann an INTO agus luaigh se tuairiscí an ESRI i leith ricahtanaids cóiriochta do scoileanna.

Ina chaint do mhaígh an Comhairleoir Seosamh Ó Conbhui a thacaiocht do iarrachtai tuismitheoiri na scoile foirgneamh buan a fháil.

Thar cheann foireann na scoile do labhair Múinteoir Caitríona Ni Chuirrín agus áitigh sí na deacrachtaí praicticiúla a bhain le múineadh i scoil réamhdhéanta.

I measc tuismitheoirí a cháin cinneadh na Roinne bhí
Donagh de Bhard, Aileen NÍ Cheallaigh, Jim Heylin, John Hayes; Nelly Ni Chuidithe, Jonathan Moore

Ag an deireadh chinn na teachtaí agus an Seanadóir a bhi i láthair go n-éascóidh siad mar ghrúpa cruinnú leis an Aire Ruairi Quinn a thúisce gur féidir.

Iarrtarr ar thuismitheoirí agus pobal na gaelscoile i gcoitinne freastal ar chruinniú poiblí a tionólfar ar an Aoine seo an 16ú lá Marta 2012 ag 11 rn sa scoil. Tá súil againn go mbeidh ionadaithe pobail ann ina measc teachtaí dála an dáilcheantair. Sí aidhm an chruinnithe ná díomá na scoile a chur in iúl toisc nach bhfuil an scoil luaite ar liosta tógála na Roinne go ceann cúig bhliana.

Tá fearg agus diomá ar phobal Ghaelscoil Philib Barún tar éis eisiúna an phlean tógála cúig bhliana ag an Aire Ruairi Quinn inniu. Ainneoin go bhfuil ailtirí agus foireann dearaidh ceaptha an tseachtain seo le scoil bhuan a thógáil ar an suíomh seo ar Chruabhaile Uachtarach, sa Trá Mhór, níl an scoil luaite ar aon cheann de liostai na Roinne Oideachais de scoileanna a bheidh le tógail idir 2012-17. Níl ciall ná réasún le seo.

Is féidir an plean a fheiscint anseo.

Tá cruinniú práinneach ag an mBord Bainistíochta maidin Dé Máirt leis an cur siar seo is déanaí a phlé agus beratas a shocrú lenár gcar a chur chun cinn in athuair. Seo téacs de ephost a sheoladh go dtí na teachtaí dála áitiula. Iarrtar ar thuistí an cas seo a rdú agus stocaireacht a dhéanamh le ionadaithe áitiúla ar ár son.

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.