Good weekend for Athy schools but more to do– Daly

Amid the alarming cutbacks and gloomy prospects for education nationally the last weekend has been particularly optimistic for some Athy schools according to Cllr Richard Daly, leas Cathaoirleach of Athy Town Council.
“On Friday last, Churchtown National School held the official opening of a three classroom extension with Bishop Eamonn Walsh as the official guest. On the same evening the keys of the new primary school which will house a section of St Patrick’s Primary school were handed over to the school authority and on the same 25 acre education campus work begins on the new Athy College after a nine year campaign.
I am particularly delighted that the three of these projects have made such advances. I have been long campaigning on education issues and in particular for the construction of the college and it is almost incredible that on the same weekend there should be good news for all three.
Athy and its hinterland will now be better poised to combat the economic downturn and work towards developing a knowledge based economy which will be to our advantage when the economic climate changes. Indeed it will also benefit from the construction period of the new college and the further primary schools which will locate on the campus.
I am at the same time deeply concerned that the promised school in Nurney is still lingering on the waiting list and will be continuing to lobby for justice for the staff, students and parents of that area who have been sadly neglected by the Department of Education and Science. As the other schools in the area receive good news the plight of Nurney school now becomes more pronounced and as parents, educationalist and neighbours we should give their campaign every support. I am only too aware of how it feels to spend almost a decade on the building list.”
In relation to the education cutbacks Cllr Daly said “I am also appalled that education has been so savagely attacked in the recent cuts and unless some of the cuts are withdrawn the provision of service at primary and second level schools in the area will suffer greatly and also be inequitable. These constrictions and cutbacks must be challenged by all of the parents and teachers within the county and the country.”