Disgruntled parents who withdrew their children from a national school in Co Donegal yesterday are prepared to allow the Department of Education "a period of grace" before they take any further action regarding their demands for a new school.
The 120 pupils at Scoil Naomh Colmcille, Kilmacrennan, were collected from the school by their parents at 10 a.m. as part of a campaign to highlight inadequate conditions. The school dates back to 1934 and has two prefabs, one of which was acquired second-hand in the 1970s.
"The parents were exasperated to the point that they felt they had to take action," said school principal, Mr John Devenney.
"We were told in 2001 that we would be getting a new school building but nothing happened. Then in 2003 this was reaffirmed in a letter by the Minister for Education, Mr Dempsey, but still nothing has happened. The parents have undertaken funding over the past three years to get the 5 per cent local contribution required, but feel let down," he added.
He teaches 37 children in a classroom that measures just 21 feet by 19 feet which he notes is "smaller than many sitting rooms in local houses".
Meanwhile, the general secretary of the INTO, Mr John Carr, said the conditions were "just not acceptable in today's world" and it showed the failure of the system used by the Department of Education for planning and building new schools. He said the growth in numbers could easily have been predicted.