Republican News · Thursday 3 April 2003

Sinn Féin backs school facilities campaign

Sinn Féin Spokesperson on Education, Seán Crowe has described the protest taken on Tuesday by Tuismitheoirí/Teagascoirí le Chéile as an important step in their campaign for adequate funding for primary schools buildings and facilities.

The Dublin South-West TD said: "It is nothing less than a national disgrace that parents, teachers and students have had to come together to campaign for rights that are so fundamentally basic as safe and secure facilities for education. In my own area, schools like St Kilians, Scoil Santáin, Gaelscoil Na Camóige and many others, are unsafe environments for children.

"The national demonstration today is a powerful message to the government that parents and teachers will no longer put up with empty promises made during election campaigns and then forgotten by the government once in power.

"Sinn Féin fully supports this important first step in the ongoing campaign organised by Tuismitheoirí/Teagascoirí le Chéile and we will provide them with any support they feel would be of benefit.

"This is an issue that must be led by the parents and teachers involved. The crisis in our schools is not something to be used for political point scoring, as broad a campaign as possible must be put together."