'Empty election promise’ warning as new schools are announced

The announcement of two new secondary schools for Navan and Ashbourne, new school buildings for nine existing Meath schools and extensive extensions and refurbishment at a further 10 local schools has been described this week as a cynical Fianna Fail pre-election ploy. An extensive programme of works on 19 existing schools around the county and the establishment of two new secondary schools were announced by Tanaiste Mary Coughlan yesterday (Tuesday) in the dying days of the current government. While the proposals, which include the new schools in Ashbourne and Navan, and new buildings for Eureka Mercy Secondary School, Kells; St Stephen's National School, Navan, and St Paul's National School, Ratoath, were welcomed throughout the county, public reprenentatives also warned that they could be coming with an “election health warningâ€. Deputy Damien English said all the projects were badly needed, but he feared it was a cynical exercise on behalf of the government. “We have had these kind of promises before, but in the end, nothing happened,†he said. “We have been looking for a new school building for Eureka for 10 years and a new second-level school was needed in Navan this year. People cannot get second-level places for their children in Navan and the government is only waking up now at the last minute. It is blatant electioneering, but we in Fine Gael will make sure that these projects will be progressed,†he said. Cllr Joe Reilly welcomed the news but said it would be incredibly cruel if these were just empty election promises. “It would be cruel to parents of children in Navan if they are given false hope by this and it is taken away, if this is just an election ploy by a minister with three other briefs,†he said. The programme announced this week includes proposals for new schools in Ashbourne and Navan, new schools buildings for St Stephen's National School, Navan; Dunboyne Senior National School, Kildalkey National School, Eureka Secondary School, Scoil Mhuire Naofa, Enfield; Moynalty National School, St Paul's National School, Ratoath; Colaiste Na hInse, Laytown and Scoil Eoin, Navan. Progress was also announced on refurbishments and extensions to Duleek National School, Dunboyne Junior National School, Scoil Uí Gramhna, Athboy; Ratoath College; O'Carolan College, Nobber; Scoil Naomh Pádraig, Baconstown; Dunshaughlin Community College, Drogheda Grammar School and Scoil Naomh Barra, Wilkinstown. The CEO of Meath VEC, Peter Kierans, said that statistics had clearly shown the need for a new secondary school in Navan and the VEC had also made the case for a new school in Ashbourne which would encompass a mainstream second-level school, a Gael colaiste and a post-Leaving Cert facility. He hoped that as moves were now afoot to acquire a site in Navan, that the new school could open in September next year. He expressed delight with progress on Ratoath College and O'Carolan College extensions and hoped that building work could begin on Dunshaughlin Community School's extension by next Christmas and he pointed out that work was now beginning on the new school building in Laytown. Cllr Jenny McHugh, principal of St Stephen's National School in Navan and Labour candidate in Meath West, said she was delighted with the news, pointing out the new building was very badly needed. Principal Brian Goggins of O'Carolan College, Nobber, expressed his delight at the news and is looking forward to a brand new facility which will include a full-size gym, a number of new specialist rooms, including science laboratories and rooms to cater for woodwork, engineering, home economics, music, technical graphics, art, IT and French and German. He added that the extension would be in excess of 3,000 square metres and would cater for a school population which of around 600 students. Cllr Shane Cassells said he was delighted that Navan has been listed as one of the nine areas in the country where new secondary schools will be progressed. “We made the case to the Department of Education last week about the pressure our existing secondary schools were under and how some children were not able to gain enrolment for September 2011. The commencement of appointing design teams for new primary schools for St Stephen's NS in Johnstown and Kildalkey NS is also really welcome news,†he said. Deputy Thomas Byrne welcomed the extension to O Carolan College. “This is exactly the announcement the school authorities and the VEC were looking for,†he said. Deputy Byrne also welcomed good news for Duleek, Dunshaughlin and Eureka, Kells, who also got good news in relation to their school buildings yesterday. Deputy Shane McEntee has welcomed plans for the building of a new second-level school in Ashbourne and the extension to the school in Nobber. “Ashbourne is now the second largest town in Meath. It will see significant further growth in its population over the coming years. “The plans for a new second-level school reflects this growth. It is also good forward planning.†Cllr Nick Killian was particularly pleased at the appointment of a design team for Ratoath Community College. “I am also delighted that the Tánaiste has recognised a need to establish a further post-primary school in Ashbourne between 2012 and 2016 in order to cater for the demographic growth in the school going population of the Ashbourne area.†Deputy Johnny Brady welcomed progress on the new school for Kildalkey and the extension and refurbishment at O'Growney National School, Athboy.