McPeake pledges support to reverse school budget cuts

Carntogher Sinn Féin Councillor Seán McPeake has spoken of the disappointing news received by the School Principal and Board Of Governors of St Brigid’s Primary School in Mayogall that a planned major extension and refurbishment works to the school was now being shelved due to Stormont budget cuts.

Speaking to the County Derry Post, Councillor McPeake, who himself is a member of St Brigid’s Board of Governors, said: “St Brigid’s Primary School in Mayogall is a fantastic school, led by exemplary staff working within a vibrant and tight knit school community. It was first opened in 1972 with an enrolment of 150 pupils. Now, just over 50 years later the school has an intake of 250 pupils and the fabric of the school is busting at the seams. Most of the school’s pupils are now housed outside the main school building in 6 mobile classrooms, corralled into a restricted area with little or no amenity play space.

“The Board of Governors had for many years been lobbying for a new-build school within a new site. This preferred option has been steadfastly refused by the Department of Education. However under Department Education School Enhancement Programme (SEP) in 2020 approval was given for a significant school extension (circa £4m) within an extended site curtilidge. This proposal in itself was welcomed by the school.

“In November 2020 Minister of Education Peter Weir visited the school and pledged his support for the SEP scheme. Since then, the St Brigid’s Principal and Board of Governors have been working diligently with Department Education and CCMS in developing up the proposals in preparation for the construction works commencing.”

Continuing, Councillor McPeake said: “Last week’s letter from Department of Education to St Brigid’s School Principal Mrs Mary O'Kane stating that their school extension project was effectively going to be suspended because of departmental cuts to funding for capital building projects, came as a complete bombshell to the school community.

“Whilst the budgetary pressures on public expenditures are recognised It is nevertheless hugely disappointing to receive such devastating news that an already committed scheme with funding earmarked such as this is now being proposed to be axed. This is coming at a time when there is no government in place here with no Education Minister in charge lobbying for the fulfilment of commitments already made.

“The situation around the budgetary shortfall cannot be allowed to continue with pupils being taught in corridors of overcrowded and in schools that are not fit for purpose.

“Both St Brigid’s School Principal and I have spoken with First Minister designate Michelle O'Neill on the situation around the funding shortfall for The school and Ms O'Neill has pledged her full support to the St Brigid’s school community in having this current funding situation reversed and stated that is by no means the end of the road for this much needed project”

“More than ever we need a functioning Executive with an adequate budget to make our public services such as our schools and our health services etc function for the citizens who very much depend on such”

Councillor McPeake concluded: “St Brigid’s School community will simply not accept the scrapping of SEP plans for the future development of their school.

As we look towards the future, we owe it to our young people of the parish to have this catastrophic situation reversed and we will fight tooth and nail to do so.”