2000 letters of protest

national | rights, freedoms and repression | news report Tuesday April 24, 2007 10:30 by Chris Murray

Lets call this #2001

The student body and staff of Loreto College , Crumlin Road, have been campaigning for sometime on lack of facilities for their pupils. So I am Publishing their letter here.

The Hall Doors are emblazoned with 'Wanted 'signs and the slogan:
'No Canteen, No Hall, no vote in the Dail'

Leaving Cert Students who will be moving on to the colleges and techs are giving up precious time on behalf of their fellow students to work on the campaign- call it 'Civics in Action'. Girls with veils and girls of colour are talking about current political topics.

2000 letters of protest.

[The Letter]

Mary Hanfin, Minister for Education and Science
Department of Education and Science
Marlboro Street
Dublin 1

Re: Loreto College Crumlin Road Building Application:

Dear Minister,

Loreto College Crumlin has recently applied for a new clasroom and administration block and a sports hall. This is the fourth application for a sports hall since 1994.

At present due to lack of facilites, the campus uses four separate off campus facilities for sports and PE classes.

A recent survey that we carried out shows that Dublin 12 has far fewer schools (44%) with sports halls than the more affluent surrounding areas: Dublin 6 (86%) Dublin 6W (100%), Dublin 14 (71%), Dublin 16 (60%) and Dublin 24 (100%). This inequality is shocking.

The school is situated in an area which cries out for facilites. The school has a site with excellent access and parking facilities. A sports hall could be used by the community in the evenings and at the weekends.

At present , seven class groups use prefabs erected over 21 years ago as a temporary measure.

Due to lack of dining facilities, students eat lunch in their classrooms. Teachers and administrative staff lack adequate workspace.

I am calling on you, Minister to sanction the schools application for a new clasroom &administration block and sports hall.

Yours sincerely,

Chris Murray (past pupil of Loreto College , Crumlin Road)

I will add into the comments the Dept of Education figures for 2006, which showed an underspend and under-resourcing of the state school system.

I will also add in information on the Primary Principals campaign to ask parents not to pay towards school upkeep for the 2007-2008 term , in an effort to force the Government to resource our State education system adequately.

The canteen issue is appalling ,with a similar situation in the primary campus and where community volunteers accompany children with familial difficulties into class; and provide for them a hot meal each day.

This inequitious situation where the private sector is getting state funds is creating a two-tier education system which indicates the deliberate running down of the State sector in our society.