No hope for Star of the Sea School, Passage?

Since starting this site the primary concern of most people in the town has been the lack of progress on the Star of the Sea school redevelopment.

star-of-the-sea.jpgMost of us will have received information in our letter boxes telling us that the government parties are looking into the issue and that the school has been moved from one design phase to another…. Well this is not the case! 

Harbour Views can exclusively report that Deirdre Clune TD has received confirmation on writing from the minister for education that a school for Passage West is NOT on her agenda. The full text of two separate parliamentary questions is reproduced below with kind permission of Deirdre Clune TD. It can clearly be seen that our school and our town are not a priority for this government.


Perhaps the hardest part to accept is the ministers assertion that Passage West is not a “rapidly growing area”… That’s news to me minister!

To the Minister for Education and Science 21 Feb 2008 To ask the Minister for Education and Science if a design team has been appointed to a school (details supplied) in County Cork; when she expects this school to move to constructionphase; and if she will make a statement on the matter.-          Deirdre Clune. Details: Star of the Sea NS, Passage West, Cork   

Ministers Response  

Minister for Education and Science (Mary Hanafin, T.D.) The appointment of a Design Team for the project referred to by the Deputy has not yet been completed. The commencement and progression of all large scale building projects from initial design stage through to construction phase is considered on an on-going basis in the context of my Department’s Multi-Annual School Building and Modernisation Programme.

To the Minister for Education and Science 27 Feb 2008

 To ask the Minister for Education and Science if a school (details supplied) in County Cork is considered by her Department to be in a rapidly developing area; and if she will make a statement on the matter.- Deirdre Clune.  Details: Star of the Sea N/S, Passage West, Co. Cork 

Ministers Response  

Minister for Education and Science (Mary Hanafin, T.D.) The area to which the Deputy refers is not currently designated as a rapidly developing area by my Department.   As the Deputy will probably be aware, the particular emphasis for my Department’s Building Programme in 2008 is on providing sufficient school places in developing areas, while also showing the Government’s commitment to delivering improvements in the quality of existing primary and post-primary school accommodation throughout the country. The progression of all school building projects, including the one in question, will be considered in this context.

This entry was posted on Thursday, March 6th, 2008 at 9:03 am and is filed under Passage West. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

4 Responses to “No hope for Star of the Sea School, Passage?”

  1. mamie Bowen Says:
    March 6, 2008 at 6:17 pm

    I am not surprised. You need to lobby all your county councillors and write to the papers. Recording all politicians’ representations, written or oral is a good idea.
    I represent Cork Harbour Alliance for a Safe Environment, and my engagement as an active citizen has shown such a “democratic deficit”, in gaining basic rights.
    Fear of exposure in misrepresenting the public interest may be an effective check, however encouragement of public participation could reduce the flouting of the electorates’ will.
    I wish you well in achieving what you were promised. Mamie Bowen.

  2. daveobyrne Says:
    March 6, 2008 at 8:17 pm

    Thanks for the comment Mamie,
    We have kept the issue live with our elected representatives in FG. They raise the issue on a regular basis at local and national level and will continue to do so until we get the school promised a decade age!
    Regards,
    Dave

  3. Michael Says:
    March 17, 2008 at 12:46 pm

    The community of Passage West is campaigning tenaciously for this new primary school building and has been doing so since 1999. Please sign their petition: http://www.whereisournewschool.com/register.php

    Thanks,

    Michael

  4. mamie bowen Says:
    January 2, 2009 at 6:18 pm

    The Harbour Views will be very impacted if the new planning application by the developer Indaver for a toxic and municipal incinerator goes ahead under a waste to energy plant.
    While the developing companies in the harbour take care of their own toxic waste by in house incinerators, and wish to take care of their own energy needs by turbine methods, this developer has other hopes for his company by controlling toxic waste for the whole country and placing the incinerator in Cork harbour.

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