Wicklow TD Stephen Donnelly has hit out at the Minister for Education for refusing to allocate an extra junior infants teacher to Kilcoole Primary to address a shortfall of places for September 2014.
Donnelly says that the school already has an extra classroom and can fit an extra classroom of pupils next year, but Minister Quinn will not hire another teacher.
According to Deputy Donnelly, Kilcoole has two classrooms of 30 children planned for September 2014, along with an extra 27 children on the waiting list who will likely miss out on a place in the school.
“Kilcoole Primary School has a classroom that could house those without a place and all the Department of Education has to do is sanction an extra teacher,” Donnelly insists. “I asked the Minister to do just that in January. Last week I heard his response: No!”
“The Department has funded the building of this extra classroom in Kilcoole, and now it’s refusing to staff it. This is not good enough for the children of Kilcoole.
“I’ve heard from hundreds of parents in Greystones, Delgany and Kilcoole whose children were not getting a junior infants place. I’ve met with officials in the Department of Education’s forward planning team to make the case for a new primary school in Charlesland. And I’ve met with teachers and principals in our schools.
“While the schools themselves are doing everything in their power to accommodate those on waiting lists, it’s clear that the Minister is unable or unwilling to accommodate these children.”
