Carlingford school teachers eating lunch in cars due to capacity issues – Dáil hears

Teachers in Monksland NS in Carlingford, Co Louth are forced to eat their lunch in their cars due to capacity issues in the school, according to Fianna Fáil TD for Louth Erin McGreehan. 

Deputy McGreehan raised the issue in the Dáil with the Minister for Education Hildegarde Naughton, citing that the number of pupils in the school has doubled over the last decade to 139. 

She said the same issue could be raised by many schools across Louth saying they're struggling for space, facilities and permanent solutions. 

"Like many schools in County Louth, it is a growing school. Enrolment has doubled in the last decade. The growth should be a success story. But the school is operating under pressure, in conditions that most definitely need to be improved,” she said. 

She said every room in the original school building is being used as a classroom resulting in there being no staff room for the school's 12 teachers.

The Louth TD said the Carlingford school had previously been approved for additional accommodation, but as a result of delays, temporary, modular classrooms were installed.

"These were never meant to be permanent solutions," she said.

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Deputy McGreehan also raised the lack of a P.E. hall in the school resulting in pupils missing out on P.E. or wellbeing classes during the winter due to unsafe outdoor conditions. 

"They want a school that feels like one school, one community, as opposed to one building and having modular buildings alongside it, they are a fantastic school. Children in there are thriving, but they could do better,” she said.  

She called on the Department of Education to help the school create these facilities. 

In response, Minister Naughton acknowledged this issue was also raised by Fine Gael TD for Louth, Paula Butterly but said enrolments in primary schools generally is declining, and said the number of pupils in Monksland NS is down from 151 in 2023. 

She said the modular classrooms like the ones installed in the Monksland NS provides a "high-quality, modern learning environment, that is both comfortable and meets the schools current needs". 

She added that the current approach to is to maximise the capacity of the existing school estate. 

Deputy McGreehan called for Department of Education officials to visit Monksland NS to "see the incapacity" and said pupils and teachers are working under huge restraints.

“You say that student numbers have reduced but it has still doubled over the last decade it's still 139 students and 12 teachers that are working in conditions that are not suitable."  

"Get the officials to reach out to the schools to work on applications that they felt were approved and let lapse,” she said.   

Minister Naughton said she'd follow up with the Department on those previous applications but reiterated the need to focus on existing spaces and said the priority at the moment is special education classes.