Renewed calls made forDuleek secondary school

Calls for a long-awaited secondary school in Duleek resurfaced at the December meeting of the Laytown–Bettystown Municipal District.

The motion was tabled by Fianna Fáil Cllr Stephen McKee, who said the Department of Education must make provision for a school given the “significant local population and pressure from feeder schools” and the fact that the national schools in Duleek cater for more than 700 pupils.

Cllr McKee said this has been “an ongoing issue in the area” and criticised the Department for continuing to treat Duleek as a satellite of Drogheda. “They think we are being catered for,” he said, noting that the Department’s classification of Duleek within the Drogheda school planning area is the reason for that assumption.

He welcomed the council’s written response and the commitment by the Forward Planning Team to raise the issue directly with the Department of Education.

“I do welcome the reply from the council in terms of the forward planning team getting on to the Department of Education and making a case because I understand it is not in the control of Meath County Council,” he said.

“But what is in the remit of the council and ourselves as public representatives is to highlight the situation and to put as much pressure on the department as possible.”

McKee said the demand is clear. “The numbers are there, not just the 700 pupils attending Duleek Boys and Girls NS but you have feeder schools like Bellewstown, Donore, Mount Hanover, Knockcommon and Julianstown, Cushinstown. There is parish land available there in the centre of Duleek so there is a very strong case for a secondary school in Duleek based on numbers alone.”

The impact on families, he said, is significant.

“It would have a huge impact on the village in a positive sense in terms of people being able to be educated locally and would bring many social and economic benefits and quality of life for people.

“Kids are having to get up very early in the morning to get buses into Drogheda, Ashbourne and Navan.”

In its response, Meath County Council acknowledged the “considerable growth” that has taken place in Duleek over the last 20 years. The Forward Planning team liaises with the Department of Education on a bi-annual basis, and a meeting will now be scheduled “at their earliest availability,” emphasising councillors’ concerns and seeking clarity on secondary school provision.

“While the decision ultimately lies with the Department, the Council confirmed it will ensure sufficient community zoning is in place to accommodate a school in future.”

Sinn Féin Cllr Maria White said she was “absolutely happy to support this,” noting that additional residential lands were recently zoned in Duleek. “It is another area that is going to be increasing in population, with that comes a need for school places,” she said.

“We have a history of brain drain from this country. In smaller villages in rural Ireland particularly we have a brain drain where our youngest brightest teenagers are leaving for neighbouring towns to go to school. The school for me is the heart of a community.”

She said transport issues are severe. “There are serious transport issue too, we are inundated with emails for parents every year who can't get tickets for buses,” she said. “Inclusion is a word that is bandied around an awful lot, inclusion means every child having a right to attend their local school and I believe the young people of Duleek have a right to attend a local secondary school in their area.”

Independent Cllr Geraldine Keogan said local senator Sharon Keogan has previously raised the matter in the Seanad and added that Independent TD Gillian Toole, who is involved in the programme for government, “is working alongside the new education minister and hopefully she will put the pressure on.”