Mary Hanafin in Limerick – Urgent Need for School Upgrades and Places

SOCIALIST YOUTH & SOCIALIST PARTY JOINT PRESS STATEMENT

• Minister for education finally promises to fund upgrade of Ardscoil Ris
• Keep up the pressure to make sure the promised Ardscoil Ris building is
financed
• Upgrade all Limerick schools to accommodate the growing need for places
• Provide new school places for the new housing developments

Mary Hannafin, Fianna Fail Minister of education, is visiting Ardscoil Ris
in Limerick today (Feubruary 2nd). She will be hoping to get much
publicity from her promise of a new school to replace the ageing ASR
building.

Socialist Youth and the Socialist Party welcome this announcement and call
on the students, teachers and parents to keep up the pressure on the
government to “make sure this doesn’t join their long list of broken
promises”.

However, Socialist Party spokesperson, Ron Byrne pointed out the new
building won’t solve the consistent lack of school places in Limerick.
“The last few years have seen a series of crises in Limerick as a number
of students each year do not get school places initially. Mary Hanafin
needs to upgrade all the Limerick schools so that they can accommodate the
growing need for places.”

Cian Prendiville, a member of Socialist Youth in Ardscoil, will attempt to
ask Ms. Hanafin why the government have not provided more places in
Limerick. Cian said: “I am glad that the government have finally responded
to the pleas of students and teachers. However, friends of mine in other
schools in Limerick are not so lucky. They are still working out of small,
drafty and overcrowded schools with poor facilities”

Socialist Youth are also highlighting the difficulty parents and students
face in finding good quality school places in their areas. Cian continued:
“This lack of school places means students often have to travel miles and
miles every day just to get to school. The government as well as the
‘opposition’ run city council has let speculators make millions from new
estates while failing to provide the facilities to go with them.”

--
Socialist Youth, Limerick

socialistyouthlimerick@skynet.ie
www.SocialistYouth.cjb.net
086-8064801

Socialist Party
www.SocialistParty.net