Dublin South East Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

Minister Must Keep School Open

Published: 5 February, 2004

Sinn Féin's Daithí Doolan has called on the Minister for Education and Science, Noel Dempsey, to keep a Dublin school open. His plea comes ahead of a meeting tonight with the staff, parents and Trustees of St Mary's Secondary School Haddington Road.

Doolan says, "It is imperative that the Minster makes funds available to keep this school open. It has been serving Dublin's southside for over 100 years. To lose it now would be a disaster for the whole community. I have put a Parliamentary Question to the Minister to consider meeting the school's funding needs to ensure that the school remains open."

After 100 years the Trustees of the school, the Sister's of Holy Faith, have found the running costs of the school beyond their means and have been forced to announce the closure of the school over the next three years.

Nevertheless, Doolan remains optimistic, "The staff, Trustees and parents are committed to keeping the school open. It is the only school for girls in this part of Dublin. To lose it would be very damaging to the educational needs of this part of the city. If Minister Dempsey is committed to education as he claims, he will most definitely keep this school open."

Doolan concluded by claiming "Tonight's meeting is the start of campaign and it will not stop until we are successful in keeping the school gates open."

The meeting is called for 7:30pm this evening and is to be held in St Mary's School, Haddington Road, Dublin 4.