Now that planning permission has been given by Fingal County Council for the building by Twinlite Developments of two schools in Tyrellstown (F08A/0787), the Dept of Education must immediately step in and take responsibility for these schools, as it does ordinarily in other areas.
In July, Joe Higgins and I objected to this planning application, not to delay permanent schools – which we have campaigned for over years – but to clarify the ownership and a satisfactory site for these educational facilities.
The Dept of Education and Educate Together, who have a temporary premises nearby, should run these schools. If there is any thought of turning these schools into a ‘public-private partnership’ arrangement where a private developer builds and then leases out the premises, this will be fought by the Socialist Party. The taxpayer invariably ends up paying much more in the long run. The community facilities in the buildings should be approved by local residents who have waited long enough for these urgent facilities.
Finally, this site is not acceptable to many parents as it contains massive electric pylons which have health concerns for children who are more susceptible to electro-magnetic radiation. Fingal’s planners totally ignored our calls for the pylons to be undergrounded as a health concern. However, this must be insisted upon by the Dept of Education or else another site acquired across the road.
It is quite ironic that a Disney-style ‘snowtopia’ / snow world project looks as if it might happen more quickly than a permanent school and community facilities in Tyrellstown. The short-changing of Tyrrelstown residents must end.
