Mattie McGrath presses for COVID funding certainty for schools
Mattie McGrath raised concerns about the lack of any announced COVID-related funding in the department's estimates and demanded certainty for schools, boards of management, teachers, families and students. He also thanked the minister and officials for engagement on an amalgamation project involving Mercy schools and urged that a new school build must begin rather than stall.
Funding concerns
He told the minister he could not believe estimates were presented with no mention, no funding announced or amount or idea of the COVID costs. He said children, families, teachers and students had been scattered to the winds and that schools and boards of management were operating on a shoestring, fundraising to meet basic needs such as hot water, yards and classroom repairs.
Amalgamation project acknowledged
He thanked Derek and the minister for engaging with him about the emalchimation of Care Buys and Care Girls and Ladies of Mercy and Care National Schools, which he said has been going on for 30 years and went to Tinder last November. He complimented the Sisters of Mercy and Bishop Fonsey, the patron, for their insight and praised past and present boards of management, parents and counsel for their work.
Urgency over new build
He urged immediate movement on the proposed new build, saying he wanted to see the machines moving and the start turn. He warned that although a builder has been appointed there is fear the project might fall off the cliff again because of COVID.
School budgets and daily needs
He emphasised that boards of management need surety before spending on basic necessities and that schools cannot be left fundraising from drawers to cover essential repairs and equipment. He repeated concern for all levels of education from play schools through third and further education, and the strain on teachers, families and students.
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Go ra ma ha goch, a coir heil a cam shearing with Deputy Michael Collins, Deputy Callan Nolan and Deputy Michael Healyway. Minister, I would like to compliment and say how delighted I am to see Minister Froelie in her new role and to see Minister Harris in her new role out of where he was. I know he left the children's hospital in a black hole so I wish him and hope we'll have a better relationship in this department. Minister, I'm quite, and I accept you've repeated yourself there and said that there will be funding, but I can't believe that we're bringing estimates here today, I'm not blaming you, and that you have no mention, no funding announced or amount or idea of the COVID costs. Children, families, from the play schools right up to national school to secondary school to third level and indeed fourth level and further education have been just, you know, scattered to the winds and there's been a very trying time for teachers, for families. And for the students themselves. And it's very, very concerning, Minister. And we need to have surety. It's great, I heard you say there will be for the school, but schools, boards of management, I've been serving them myself, they're on a shoestring round and they need to know that they spend the monies, you know, getting hot water into the tiles, which is a basic necessity. If they spend money in the yard or in the classrooms with putting up passports or whatever, very costly, they need to know that they have it. They're fundraising, using drawers and everything else. So, Minister, I know you're keenly aware of that. I want to thank Derek and yourself, Minister, in your department, for engaging with me about the emalchimation of Care Buys and Care Girls and Ladies of Mercy and Care National Schools, who is going on for 30 years, this project. It went to Tinder last November, and thank you for coming back to be on it. And all the people of care want. I want to thank the Sisters of Mercy and Bishop Fonsey, the patron, for giving insight there. And I want to compliment all involved, past boards of management and present, and parents, counsel, and everybody. We want to see the machines moving in there. We want to see the start turn for this new build, because we are obviously afraid that a builder has been appointed. We're afraid that with COVID and everything else, it might fall off the cliff again. Go to Margot. Margot. Margot. Margot. Margot. Margot. Margot. Margo. Spoiler. Perfiso Pass. From theлив. For the
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