Archive for the 'Schools' Category

GREEN PARTY CONDEMNS SINN FEIN MINISTER FOR REFUSING SCHOOL BUSES FOR IRISH SPEAKING CHILDREN

Published
by
Cadogan Enright
on September 3, 2010
in 1. GREEN PRESS RELEASES / LATEST NEWS, Cadogan Enright, Downpatrick, Schools and Supporting Minorities / Human Rights
. 0 Comments

Cllr Enright called on Minister Ruane to confirm or deny that the first dedicated bus in NI for the Irish Speaking secondary sector will be available to Irish Speaking children in Downpatrick from the 1st September.
The Education Minister has rejected an appeal from Downpatrick parents to fund a bus service for chidren hoping to attend an Irish language secondary school in Belfast.
‘This leaves children as young as 11 travelling two hours each way to Belfast and back again each day, yet the official target for a school journey in Northern Ireland is one hour’ explained Cllr Enright.
Over the last 4 years the Green Party has been part of a cross-party and cross-community group attempting to ensure that children attending Irish speaking secondary school did not continue to be deprived of school transport to and from Belfast and that they had the same facilities as all other regional colleges in Belfast like Lagan, Methody and Victoria have a dedicated network of buses, as do many other schools in Down District. These buses are provided over and above normal Translink services that are also accessed with a bus pass.
Green Party Cllr Cadogan Enright said “Sinn Fein Minister Caitriona Ruane has not been particularly helpful in this matter given that the campaign had the unequivocal support of the NI Human Rights Commission, The Children’s Commissioner and many members of her own party. She had ample opportunity to over-rule her back-ward looking civil servants who have found it hard to adjust to the idea that Irish Medium secondary education is entitled to the same support as the Integrated sector”.
Cadogan Enright pointed out that “There are approximately 2030 dedicated buses delivering children to and from school every day in the English language State, Catholic and Integrated sectors. These are mostly delivering children to distant schools that are not necessarily the nearest in their sector. This would never be allowed in England and Wales. However not one bus has ever been provided to the Irish Medium sector, despite the fact that children are seeking to travel to their nearest school. It was only last year that the department were forced through legal action to recognize the existence of Irish Medium Education in the transport regulations – 11 years after the legal requirement was placed upon them”.
“It is high-time for the Minister to concede that her civil servants have failed to encourage and facilitate Irish Medium education at secondary level as required under the 1998 British-Irish agreement in a similar manner to Integrated education, that no meetings ever took place to organize this legal duty with Education Boards and with Translink. It is high time the Minister followed the advice of the NI Human Rights Commissioner and sorted this out” Concluded Green Party Cllr Cadogan Enright.

GREEN PARTY COUNCILLOR SEEKS MULTI-AGENCY APPROACH TO CLEAN UP OF KENNEDY PARK IN KILLOUGH IN ADVANCE OF NEW NAOISCOIL

Published
by
Cadogan Enright
on September 3, 2010
in 1. GREEN PRESS RELEASES / LATEST NEWS, Cadogan Enright, Killough, Littering/Vandalism/Crime, Parks/National Park, Planning issues and illegal development and Schools
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Cllr Enright at Kennedy Park in Killough, originally uploaded by downgreenparty.

Green Party Councillor Cadogan Enright has been pressing for better ongoing maintenance of Kennedy park in Killough following requests from local residents, and has highlighted the imminent building of the new Naoiscoil pre-school as an opportunity for public service organizations to improve services to this area.
Cllr Enright said “I have requested the council to clear up the huge amount of broken glass from the park, and council manager nnn has confirmed that this has been done and that there will be an ongoing effort to keep this area clean”.
“I have also contacted the District Policing Partnership to see what can be done between the PSNI and other government agencies to see what can be done once and for all to stamp out “rough drinking”, dumping and bonfires of household waste in the Park that is affecting the quality of life of local residents. I feel a cross-agency approach is the only way to tackle these issues”, Confirmed Cadogan Enright.
“The old mill is in a dangerous state, and barriers to entry have been removed, I am pursuing this with the Dangerous buildings section” Said Councillor Enright
“The building of the new Naoisciol gives the Council, in conjunction with the other agencies an opportunity to deliver a series of separate relatively minor actions, that taken collectively would provide a huge boost for local residents. The fencing and hedging could be repaired, the PSNI could patrol the area on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, the litter wardens could focus on this area until after Christmas or until the dumping problem with a few local individuals is resolved. The outcome could be a better local environment for everyone,” Concluded Councillor Cadogan Enright

GREEN PARTY APPALLED AT CASTLEWELLAN SCHOOL VANDALISM

Published
by
Cadogan Enright
on September 3, 2010
in 1. GREEN PRESS RELEASES / LATEST NEWS, Cadogan Enright, Castlewellan, John Hardy, Littering/Vandalism/Crime and Schools
. 0 Comments

John Hardy and Cllr Cadogan Enright and son CadÓg at the school, originally uploaded by downgreenparty.

The Green Party has expressed its disgust at recent vandalism and burglary at the Bunscoil Bheanna Boirche in Castlewellan.

Local Green Party co-ordinator John Hardy said ‘It is unsettling to hear the news that the school has once again been the target of anti-social behaviour, a year almost to the day since the old school was burned last year. It seems that young people are willing to attack services in their own community and steal from those providing education for young children- the children of their friends and neighbours. We totally condemn this activity and ask local people to be vigilant in observing and reporting any anti-social behaviour.’

He continued ‘The theft and damage to the school comes just before the start of the new school year when teachers and staff are busy preparing for the months ahead. This makes it all the more reproachable as children will be starting the new term without equipment and with damaged facilities.”

Cadogan Enright, Green Party Councillor, supported John Hardy and said “As a school governor, I can say that we were all looking forward to the exciting opening next Wednesday the 1st in what I believe will be the best primary school in south Down.

As a member of the Down Policing Partnership, I’ll be using my influence to ensure regular patrolling and I will be seeking the harshest treatment possible for people attacking our community’s new Bunscoil.

CLICK HERE FOR THE PRESS CUTTING

GREENS WELCOME SUCCESS OF LOCAL STUDENTS IN SCHOOL BUS CAMPAIGN

Published
by
Cadogan Enright
on January 6, 2010
in 1. GREEN PRESS RELEASES / LATEST NEWS, Cadogan Enright, Downpatrick, Schools and Supporting Minorities / Human Rights
. 0 Comments

Photograph shows Claire NicInnreactaigh (left), now studying at 3rd level through the medium of Irish at 3rd level in Galway, and Méibhín Ní Ruiséil (third left) who has secured a scholarship to attend Maynooth College in Kildare. Included are fellow students Anton O Dubhthaigh (center left) and Leá Aubert (far right).

Green Party Cllr Cadogan Enright has welcomed the news that the Department of Education are taking steps to introduce a pilot bus scheme for Irish speaking students in Downpatrick to their nearest Irish Medium school Coláiste Feirste.

The decision to attempt this pilot scheme comes as parents and students took steps to challenge the Department for not providing a dedicated bus service to the Belfast school despite there being over 2000 other dedicated bus services to other schools in Northern Ireland.

Cllr Enright said, “I welcome the news that this pilot scheme from Downpatrick to Coláiste Feirste will come into effect but I feel a lot more has to be forthcoming from the Department of Education. When there are over 2000 dedicated buses in Northern Ireland and not one of them are designated to the Irish Medium sector the grounds for discrimination are clear and I will campaign until full equality between all education sectors in Northern Ireland is achieved.”

Senior teacher at Coláiste Feirste Mr Dairmaid Ua Bruadair commented, “We were delighted to hear this week that a case brought by Downpatrick parents of students attending our school against the Department of Education has resulted in the department choosing Downpatrick for a trial of the first dedicated bus in the Irish Medium Secondary School sector. Our Downpatrick students are all very committed and have had to cope with inadequate transport from the Department of Education. There are currently 2020 dedicated buses serving the secondary school sector in NI over and above the normal translink services. But up until now not one of these buses serviced Irish Medium secondary schools. Had Claire and Méibhín chosen to go to Lagan College, Victoria or Ballynahinch Convent they would have had a good transport service throughout their years at secondary school.”

“Staff and students at Coláiste Feirste owe Claire, Méibhin and other current Downpatrick students like Aoife McConn Midhe a debt of gratitude for fighting this case over the last few years,” concluded Dairmaid Ua Bruadair.

Cllr Enright also congratulated the outstanding achievements of Coláiste Feirste students from Downpatrick in their recent A-level results despite the failures of the Department to provide them with proper transportation to school. Claire and Méibhín are also active in the local Green Party involved in a number of local campaigns.

Claire NicInnreactaigh of St Patricks Avenue and Méibhín Ní Ruiséil of New Bridge Street celebrated their success with classmates home from University for Christmas.

Claire received the Tomás Ó Leannáin Cup for top results with her 4 “A” levels in Biology, Art, Irish and French and is now studying at 3rd level through the medium of Irish at 3rd level in Galway, whilst Méibhín (third left) received straight A’s also and has secured a scholarship to attend Maynooth College in Kildare.

Press Cuttings: Success for Irish Speaking Students From Downpatrick

PARENTS HOPEFUL THAT MINISTER WILL INTERVENE IN BUS DISPUTE

Published
by
Cadogan Enright
on August 17, 2008
in 1. GREEN PRESS RELEASES / LATEST NEWS, Cadogan Enright, Downpatrick, Health / Local Services, Newcastle, Schools, Supporting Minorities / Human Rights and Working with other Parties
. 0 Comments

Photograph shows Green Party Councillor Cadogan Enright with (LtoR) Claire NicInnreactaigh, Councillor Eamonn Mac Conn Midhe (Sinn Fein) , Sinead Ni Chuarain, Aoife Ni Conn Midhe and Gareth Dé Rís.

Children attending Irish Speaking school in the Newcastle and Downpatrick areas have been denied transport to get them to school by Department of Education officials. Department Officials claim they have an exemption under the Human Rights Act in respect of Irish Language and Cultural Education. The children concerned have received considerable support from the Human Rights Commissioners Office and from the Children’s Rights Commissioner.

By contrast, children from South Down attending Methody or Victoria have Translink buses laid on by the same officials, even though the number of children attending these schools is much smaller. SEELB officials have referred appeals over this matter to the Department.

As a result children as young as 11 have a huge commute to Coláiste Feirste in Belfast, a situation that in the past has persuaded many parents whose children attended one of the local Irish speaking Primary Schools not to let their children go on to secondary school through Irish.

Green Party Councillor Cadogan Enright said that “As far as we can tell the UK is the only European Government to have sought a Human Rights exemption to another European country’s language and culture in this manner. We have checked with Green Parties in other countries in Europe with mixed nationalities and this sort of situation is unheard of. The Green Party in England and Wales could not believe it when we told them. No such situation could possibly arise in Wales”

Cllr Eamonn Mc Conn Midhe of Sinn Fein pointed out “The Good Friday Agreement as amended at St Andrews was supposed to make this type of issue a thing of the past. Unfortunately Department Officials are grimly hanging onto discriminatory regulations that pre-date the GFA, and claim that even though the British Government has signed up to the European Convention and Framework Directive on minority Languages, the Department can ignore these laws as they have not been ratified as per the GFA.”

Claire NicInnreactaigh is spokesperson for the children currently travelling to Coláiste Feirste. Claire is in 5th year at Coláiste Feirste taking 5 “A” levels in Maths, Biology, Art, French and Irish. Claire said “I have personally canvassed Education Minister Catriona Ruane who was very supportive. Now that her civil servants are finally reporting back to her on this issue we hope to see support from her in this constituency and for others in a similar situation around N.I.”.

Claire concluded by saying, “We are like a big family in Coláiste Feirste, with the older children looking after the younger ones on a buddy system, and we give younger children help with their studies on the long journeys we have to currently endure. We really appreciate the offers of support we have received from nearly all political parties on this issue”.

Press Cuttings: No school bus for Irish speakers, Department claims it has not denied free transport to Irish speaking pupils

GREEN PARTY DISCUSS NEW INTEGRATED COLLEGE FOR MID-DOWN

Published
by
Cadogan Enright
on December 14, 2007
in 1. GREEN PRESS RELEASES / LATEST NEWS, Crossgar, Killyleagh, Planning issues and illegal development and Schools
. 0 Comments

killyleaghOEC, originally uploaded by downgreenparty.

The Down District Green Party have been discussing the site for the new Blackwater Integrated College, looking at current proposals and alternative sites.

The Blackwater Integrated College is a proposed new Grant Maintained Integrated College, bringing together the existing Down Academy Controlled Integrated High School and Rowallane Integrated College. Blackwater IC will be a new, all-ability, co-educational College founded on the principles of integrated Education. It is proposed to open in September 2008.

Currently, the College is planned for the Mid-Down area, with a possible site in Crossgar. However, the Green Party have been discussing possible alternatives to this site which will make use of available brown-field sites and offer access for pupils in the mid-Down area.

Outgoing Green Party Councillor, Bill Corry, is pictured here with incoming Councillor at the site of the SEELB Outdoor Education Centre in Killyleagh, which would offer an alternative site for the school.

Currently, Killyleagh does not have a secondary school and the proximity to the sea and the outdoor centre would allow for easy access to activities for pupils. This is one of several sites being discussed by the Down District Green Party.

Press Cuttings:Blackwater Integrated College