Leagan Gaeilge thíos/Irish version follows
The Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn needs to review the decision not to include Clifden Community School among the schools set to receive new buildings according to Sinn Féin Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh. The Galway West Senator was speaking during the course of a debate on the adjournment with Deputy Quinn this evening in which he asked if the significance of the schools rural location to the wide area it services could be taken into account in such a review. The Minister agreed to continuously review the situation.
‘Due to a very successful local campaign a new building has been promised to Clifden Community School and planning is well advanced. They just needed the green light from the Department to go to tender. The present building was never fully finished and has long ceased to be fit for purpose. It is
utterly unacceptable that they are to be forgotten about yet again’, says the Sinn Féin Senator.
‘The Minister has stated that for demographic reasons he is largely allocating buildings to growing areas. He neglects to recognise that the location and quality of schools facilities, particularly in rural areas can itself have an impact on the population in those areas. The present school in Clifden was originally designed for 250 students, yet current enrolment is approximately 400 students. The students and staff deserve a school which is capable of servicing the current education standards and that’s what they were promised’, says Ó Clochartaigh.
‘Funding has been agreed for schools which do not even exist at this moment in time. I don’t oppose the building of such schools in rapidly growing areas, Sinn Féin called for these in our pre-budget submission. But this should not be at the expense of schools which have been in existence for more than three decades, serving several generations and thousands of children which are desperately in need of proper facilities’,the Senator maintains.
‘I asked the Minister today to review this decision, to take into consideration the very different circumstances which face schools in rural areas such as Clifden, and to safeguard the future of Clifden Community School as a crucial education provider in North Connemara. He knows the school and the area well as he had a photo opportunity there with Leaving Cert students in August and he met staff and campaigners at that stage. He promised to keep the school under constant review’, said Ó Clochartaigh
‘Other schools in Galway which are disappointed that they haven’t been included in the Capital programme include Gaelscoil De hÍde in Oranmore, Gaelscoil Locha Riach in Loughrea and Gaelscoil Mhic Amhlaigh in Knocknacarra’, says Ó Clochartaigh, ‘and we must campaign for these and others to be reconsidered also’.
Ní féidir dearmad a dheanamh ar Scoil Phobail an Clochán – Ó Clochartaigh
Ba chóir don Aire Oideachas, Ruairí Quinn, athbhreithniú a dhéanamh ar an gcinneadh gan Pobalscoil an Chlochán a áireamh i measc na scoileanna atá le foigneamh nua a fháil , de réir Seanadóir Shinn Féin, Trevor Ó Clochartaigh. Bhí an Seanadóir as Gaillimh Thiar ag labhairt le linn diospóireacht ar an athló leis an Aire, Ruairi Quinn tráthnóna inniu, nuair a d’iarr sé air tábhacht na scoile sa gcomthéacs tuaithe ina bhfuil sé suite a thógáil san áireamh in aon athbhreithniú a dhéanfar. Gheall an tAire go ndéanfadh sé athbhreithniu leanúnach ar an gcás..
‘Mar thoradh ar fheachtas mhór áítiúil gealladh scoil nua do phobal an Clochán agus tá na pleananna faoi réir don tógáil. Ní raibh uathu ach cead a gcinn ón Roinn le dul ar thóir tairiscintí. Níor críochnaíodh an fhoirgneamh reatha i gceart ariamh agus níl sé feiliúnach do na riachtanais reatha atá acu. Tá sé go hiomlán éagóireach go bhfuil an plean le caitheamh i dtraipisí ar fad anois’ a deir Seanadóir Ghaillimh Thiar.
‘Tá sé tugtha le fios ag an Aire ar chúinsí deimeagrafacha go bhfuil sé ag cur scoileanna ar fáil iI gceantair a bhfuil an daonra ag fás. Ní thógann sin san áireamh suíomh agus caighdeán scoileanna, go háirithe i gceantair tuaithe agus an ról ata acu i gcaomhnú daonra ansin. Tógadh an scoile reatha ar an gClochán le freastal ar tuairim 250 dalta. Faoi láthair tá suas le 400 duine ag freastal air. Tá scoil atá ábalta freastal ar na riachtanais oideachais reatha atá acu dlite don fhoireann agus na scoláirí agus sin a bhí geallta doibh’, a deir Ó Clochartaigh.
‘Tá maoiniú ceadaithe do scoileanna nach ann dóibh faoi láthair. Níl mé i gcoinne foirgnimh a thógáil do scoileanna nua, áit a bhfuil fás mór ar an daonra – go deimhin sin rud a bhí molta i dtuarascáil réamhthoghcháin Shinn Féin, ach ní chóir go mbeadh scoileanna atá ann le breis is tríocha bliain, ag freastal ar ghlúin i ndiaidh glúine agus na mílte scoláire le linn na mblianta, thíos leis seo’, dar leis an Seanadóir.
‘D’iarr mé ar an Aire inniu athbhreithniú a dhéanamh ar an gcinneadh seo, ag tógáil san áireamh na cúinsí faoi leith a bhaineann le cás scoileanna i gceantair tuaithe cosúil leis an gClochan agus chun todhchaí Scoil Phobail an Chlochán mar sholáthróir oideachais d’ardchaighdeán i gConamara Thuaidh á choinneáil in intinn. Tá eolas mhaith ag an Aire ar an gceantar seo, go deimhin bhí preas ócáid aige ag an scoil i mí Lúnasa nuair a fuair na mic léinn ardteiste a gcuid torthaí, áit ar chás sé le baill foirne agus ionadaithe ón gcoiste tacaíochta. Gheall sé dá bharr seo, go gcoinneoidh sé an scoil faoi athbhreithniú leanúnach’, a deir Ó Clochartaigh.
‘Tá cuid mhaith scoileanna eile i nGaillimh a bhfuil díomá orthu nach bhfuil siad san áireamh ar an gclár caipitil ach an oiread, ina measc Gaelscoil De hÍde in Uarán Mór, Gaelscoil Locha Riach i mBaile Locha Riach agus Gaelscoil Mhic Amhlaigh i gCnoc na Cathrach’, a deir Ó Clochartaigh. ‘Caithfear leanúint den stocaireacht do na scoileanna seo agus scoileanna go leor eile.’
The Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn needs to review the decision not to include Clifden Community School among the schools set to receive new buildings according to Sinn Féin Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh. The Galway West Senator was speaking during the course of a debate on the adjournment with Deputy Quinn this evening in which he asked if the significance of the schools rural location to the wide area it services could be taken into account in such a review. The Minister agreed to continuously review the situation.
‘Due to a very successful local campaign a new building has been promised to Clifden Community School and planning is well advanced. They just needed the green light from the Department to go to tender. The present building was never fully finished and has long ceased to be fit for purpose. It is
utterly unacceptable that they are to be forgotten about yet again’, says the Sinn Féin Senator.
‘The Minister has stated that for demographic reasons he is largely allocating buildings to growing areas. He neglects to recognise that the location and quality of schools facilities, particularly in rural areas can itself have an impact on the population in those areas. The present school in Clifden was originally designed for 250 students, yet current enrolment is approximately 400 students. The students and staff deserve a school which is capable of servicing the current education standards and that’s what they were promised’, says Ó Clochartaigh.
‘Funding has been agreed for schools which do not even exist at this moment in time. I don’t oppose the building of such schools in rapidly growing areas, Sinn Féin called for these in our pre-budget submission. But this should not be at the expense of schools which have been in existence for more than three decades, serving several generations and thousands of children which are desperately in need of proper facilities’,the Senator maintains.
‘I asked the Minister today to review this decision, to take into consideration the very different circumstances which face schools in rural areas such as Clifden, and to safeguard the future of Clifden Community School as a crucial education provider in North Connemara. He knows the school and the area well as he had a photo opportunity there with Leaving Cert students in August and he met staff and campaigners at that stage. He promised to keep the school under constant review’, said Ó Clochartaigh
‘Other schools in Galway which are disappointed that they haven’t been included in the Capital programme include Gaelscoil De hÍde in Oranmore, Gaelscoil Locha Riach in Loughrea and Gaelscoil Mhic Amhlaigh in Knocknacarra’, says Ó Clochartaigh, ‘and we must campaign for these and others to be reconsidered also’.
Ní féidir dearmad a dheanamh ar Scoil Phobail an Clochán – Ó Clochartaigh
Ba chóir don Aire Oideachas, Ruairí Quinn, athbhreithniú a dhéanamh ar an gcinneadh gan Pobalscoil an Chlochán a áireamh i measc na scoileanna atá le foigneamh nua a fháil , de réir Seanadóir Shinn Féin, Trevor Ó Clochartaigh. Bhí an Seanadóir as Gaillimh Thiar ag labhairt le linn diospóireacht ar an athló leis an Aire, Ruairi Quinn tráthnóna inniu, nuair a d’iarr sé air tábhacht na scoile sa gcomthéacs tuaithe ina bhfuil sé suite a thógáil san áireamh in aon athbhreithniú a dhéanfar. Gheall an tAire go ndéanfadh sé athbhreithniu leanúnach ar an gcás..
‘Mar thoradh ar fheachtas mhór áítiúil gealladh scoil nua do phobal an Clochán agus tá na pleananna faoi réir don tógáil. Ní raibh uathu ach cead a gcinn ón Roinn le dul ar thóir tairiscintí. Níor críochnaíodh an fhoirgneamh reatha i gceart ariamh agus níl sé feiliúnach do na riachtanais reatha atá acu. Tá sé go hiomlán éagóireach go bhfuil an plean le caitheamh i dtraipisí ar fad anois’ a deir Seanadóir Ghaillimh Thiar.
‘Tá sé tugtha le fios ag an Aire ar chúinsí deimeagrafacha go bhfuil sé ag cur scoileanna ar fáil iI gceantair a bhfuil an daonra ag fás. Ní thógann sin san áireamh suíomh agus caighdeán scoileanna, go háirithe i gceantair tuaithe agus an ról ata acu i gcaomhnú daonra ansin. Tógadh an scoile reatha ar an gClochán le freastal ar tuairim 250 dalta. Faoi láthair tá suas le 400 duine ag freastal air. Tá scoil atá ábalta freastal ar na riachtanais oideachais reatha atá acu dlite don fhoireann agus na scoláirí agus sin a bhí geallta doibh’, a deir Ó Clochartaigh.
‘Tá maoiniú ceadaithe do scoileanna nach ann dóibh faoi láthair. Níl mé i gcoinne foirgnimh a thógáil do scoileanna nua, áit a bhfuil fás mór ar an daonra – go deimhin sin rud a bhí molta i dtuarascáil réamhthoghcháin Shinn Féin, ach ní chóir go mbeadh scoileanna atá ann le breis is tríocha bliain, ag freastal ar ghlúin i ndiaidh glúine agus na mílte scoláire le linn na mblianta, thíos leis seo’, dar leis an Seanadóir.
‘D’iarr mé ar an Aire inniu athbhreithniú a dhéanamh ar an gcinneadh seo, ag tógáil san áireamh na cúinsí faoi leith a bhaineann le cás scoileanna i gceantair tuaithe cosúil leis an gClochan agus chun todhchaí Scoil Phobail an Chlochán mar sholáthróir oideachais d’ardchaighdeán i gConamara Thuaidh á choinneáil in intinn. Tá eolas mhaith ag an Aire ar an gceantar seo, go deimhin bhí preas ócáid aige ag an scoil i mí Lúnasa nuair a fuair na mic léinn ardteiste a gcuid torthaí, áit ar chás sé le baill foirne agus ionadaithe ón gcoiste tacaíochta. Gheall sé dá bharr seo, go gcoinneoidh sé an scoil faoi athbhreithniú leanúnach’, a deir Ó Clochartaigh.
‘Tá cuid mhaith scoileanna eile i nGaillimh a bhfuil díomá orthu nach bhfuil siad san áireamh ar an gclár caipitil ach an oiread, ina measc Gaelscoil De hÍde in Uarán Mór, Gaelscoil Locha Riach i mBaile Locha Riach agus Gaelscoil Mhic Amhlaigh i gCnoc na Cathrach’, a deir Ó Clochartaigh. ‘Caithfear leanúint den stocaireacht do na scoileanna seo agus scoileanna go leor eile.’
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