Minister Shane Ross T.D. invited parents' representatives from OLG to meet with Minster Richard Bruton T.D. in Leinster House on Wednesday morning. Also present were Catherine Martin T.D., Josepha Madigan T.D., Senator Neale Richmond, Senator Gerry Horkan, and Councillor Seamus O'Neill.
It was a comprehensive meeting and covered all the immediate and more general issues surrounding this sale of land.
Minister Bruton disappointingly would not concede that the area was in need of investment from the Department of Education, certainly insofar as capital expenditure on school land is concerned. The Department apparently works on a "just-in-time" approach to capital expenditure on schools. His figures for pupil numbers are arrived at from a combination of various different sources, including the Department of Social Protection, and the 2011 census. He would not countenance the suggestion that provision needs to be made now in order to cater for the soon-to-be huge increase in primary and secondary school demand in the area, due to the approx 1,000+houses and apartments that will be built in (and on the boundaries of) the catchment area over the coming few years. He said that when such a situation arises, it will then be up to the local public authority to source a site.
He also made the point that urban schools should lower their expectation regarding green space. He gave the example that a rural school starting from a green field site would most likely have green space, due to rural land being cheaper than urban land. However urban schools do not have this luxury, due to increased land cost. However this cost is only so high because it is zoned 'residential'. One would have to wonder is it fair that urban children should not have the same opportunities in sport and outdoor activities as rural children. The land is still there for a lot of urban schools, but one by one, this land is steadily going. An immediate protection should be placed on these lands, until a proper national debate on this issue takes place.
So in summary, the Minister for Education is, in effect, claiming to be entirely powerless when it comes to protecting the educational amenities of Irish children. It was very shocking to hear that the Department of Education operates a "just-in-time" approach to capital expenditure. Obviously each government department has budgetary issues, but one would expect some sort of vision when it comes to planning for our children's educational future.
The other politicians present did acknowledge however that this is a growing national issue, that goes far beyond the sale of one playing field in Goatstown, and deserves a national debate on the subject of the stripping of community assets by aging religious orders.
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