A priest based in one of the most deprived parts of Limerick City has called on churches around the country to sell any unused gold to help fund a teaching post in the local primary school.

Fr Tony O’Riordan SJ, the parish priest of Moyross, said the Department of Education had recently removed funding for a teaching post which would lead to the merger of two junior infant classes.

“This will leave us with a class of 32 junior infants, many of whom have arrived to school some way behind their peers in other schools. This new pupil- teacher ratio was 50 per cent over the official ratio for disadvantaged schools,” he said.

“We cannot easily stand over such a detrimental move knowing how negatively it will impact on these children’s futures and education. Therefore we have taken the decision to employ a teacher privately for as long as we can raise the funds for this post,” he said

Fr O’Riordan said the school had secured one month’s salary for the teacher. “I am now appealing to churches and parishes around the country who have gold vessels and religious goods stored away and unused, to consider selling these goods for a greater good.”

He said: “I know the Church family up and down this country has many gold objects gathering dust, so I hope that those with charge of these goods might listen to this appeal and help us meet the needs of these disadvantaged children and give them an opportunity for their God-given gifts to flourish.”

Given that the annual salary for a primary-school teacher is around €30,000, Fr Riordan said he was hopeful the appeal could raise €20,000.

“While we will not give up the campaign to lobby the Department to meet its responsibilities, we will not let these children suffer education disadvantage if we can help it, and so we are appealing for help. We are asking that churches disposes of luxury goods to help us pay for an essential good.”

Commenting on the appeal Fr O’Riordan said, “I know many families have been forced to sell gold and jewellery in recent years just to make ends meet”. He hoped the Church family would do likewise.

His appeal was made in respect of Corpus Christi primary school, located close to the home of the Minister for Education Jan O’Sullivan.