Huge relief as Gaelscoil na gCeithre Máistrí gets go-ahead

After a tumultuous month, there appears to be good news for the Gaelscoil na gCeithre Máistrí community.

It has been announced that the 58 schools nationally, including the Donegal Town gaelscoil, for which funding was put on hold can now proceed as planned.

After 24 years in deteriorating prefabs, work had been due to get underway at the site in Brookfield, Donegal Town in the first quarter of this year. A contractor had been appointed, workmen employed, and everything was ready to go.

But instead of the long awaited Letter of Commencement, the school received an email last month to say that funding had been put on hold. No timeframe was given for how long the delay could be expected to last.

With the tender running just days later, the gaelscoil community mounted a strong campaign to appeal to Minister Norma Foley and the government to reconsider their position. This included a strong presence at the recent opening of St Mary’s School, Stranorlar which was attended by the education.

Parents’ representative Jimmy Brogan told Donegal Live: “The Parents, teachers and the whole school community are delighted with the news that the minister reversed the decision and that our school and all 58 building projects on hold will go ahead following the delay.

“We are disappointed that there was a delay at all and it was unfortunate that we as a school community had to take the action we took with meetings and protest but happy now that things will go ahead

“We are waiting on a date for the contractor to move on-site and start the building and hopefully that will be very soon and will be keeping a close eye for word that it will start as soon as possible.”

Cllr Micheál Naughton (FF) is among those to welcome Wednesday’s news that all 58 schools could proceed as planned.

He said: “I am delighted to announce that I got word from the department this morning that the funding for Gaelscoil na gCeithre Maistri Donegal Town will go ahead.

This is great news for the students and staff. I seen for myself the standard of the prefabs and it’s only right that these kids get a new school. It is much welcomed news.”