Navan school allays concern after receiving threatening email

Louise Walsh

A Co Meath school which received one of the threatening emails sent to dozens of schools nationwide yesterday has moved to allay any parental fears of safety issues at the facility on Thursday.

Gardai are currently investigating the email which was sent to over a hundred schools as teachers and SNAs took part in nationwide strike action on Wednesday.

Educate Together School in Navan said they were receiving a large number of calls from worried parents this morning (Thursday) concerned on the safety of their child at the Commons Road building.

Currently the facility has 230 pupils and 22 teachers.

A spokesperson for the school said that the school had received an email which had gone into the spam folder and was only noticed by the school chairperson who contacted gardai immediately.

All staff on the picket line were sent home while the school was searched by gardai who cleared it for safe use for staff and pupils on Thursday morning.

The school added that if there had been any remote risk to students at all, it would have notified parents and ensured the school had remained closed.

In a statement, gardaí confirmed they were aware that the communication was sent to “a number of educational establishments”.

“Gardaí are currently assessing the contents and credibility of that communication,” a spokesperson said.

“Gardaí are engaging with a number of educational establishments.”