Classrooms at two national schools in Co Carlow were severely damaged on Saturday night when a digger from a nearby building site was used to ram them, knocking down walls and damaging windows and the schools' roofs.
A Hymac digger was taken from a building site beside the Holy Family boys' and girls' national schools in the village of Askea. The digger was driven into a wall of a classroom at the boys' school at around 10.30 p.m. on Saturday.
It was then reversed through a fence at the school's playground and driven into a classroom of the girls' school.
The digger was left parked with its bucket in the window of the girls' school.
The damaged classrooms are used by a special needs boys' class and a class of girls, who are making their Holy Communion.
The damage was caused at a time when an extensive €300,000 building project at the school was being finished. This included the replacement of windows and roofs at both schools.
The schools' manager and local parish priest, Father Tom Little, said it had taken 10 years to raise money for renovations.
"Usually Askea is a very quiet and safe place and the schools are happy places. What has happened is completely out of character. We've had a cost assessor in and a local builder was on the scene on Saturday night after the damage was done and has secured the building.
"We're going to accommodate the two classes in the local library and we've made other parish facilities available immediately, so we can minimise the disruption for everybody."
Father Little said he hoped an insurance payment would be sufficient to repair the damage. The motive for the attack is unclear. Carlow gardaí arrested a 34-year-old man and a 15-year-old boy. Both were questioned and were released without charge. A file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.
