Recently Rathcoole Educate Together National School open evening had a fantastic turn out. The information evening was held in the school’s temporary accommodation in Citywest.
Principal Gemma Maher said “We want to thank everyone who called to the open evening. Rathcoole Educate Together is in its fourth year and it is heartening to see so many Rathcoole families wanting to send their children to our school. We also had many local people come up to meet the school and see first-hand the role we already play in the community in Rathcoole and our ambitions for the future. The school’s permanent building project was an item of discussion and there was great interest in this in view of the recent planning application by the Department of Education for a new school campus”.
Before Christmas the Department of Education applied for planning permission for a 20-classroom primary school campus including 4 autism classes, PE Hall, basketball courts and vegetable gardens in Rathcoole Village. A number of local politicians came to the open evening on foot of emails from Rathcoole parents seeking support for the school and that its permanent accommodation be delivered without delay. In attendance were Cllr Trevor Gilligan, Cllr William Carey, Cllr Shirley O’Hara and local election candidate Lynn Tierney represented her colleague Cllr Eoin O’Brion. Cllr Francis Timmons visited the school earlier to meet the principal.
Austin O’Sullivan, Chair of the Rathcoole ETNS Board of Management said “We are grateful for the support and engagement we received from local public representatives. Entirely separate from the Department’s planning application for the school campus, we discussed with residents the need for better road infrastructure and how politicians and the community can work together to deliver this.
We explained to the politicians how our temporary accommodation is only available until summer 2025 and it is essential, we move to a location in Rathcoole Village by then. The census figures demonstrate what we all know anecdotally. There was a 38% increase in the total number of 5-9 year olds living in Rathcoole between census 2011 to 2016. Census 2022 saw the 2011 total of 5-9 year olds increase by 142%! We are playing catch up in terms of school building provision. There is no time to delay.
We want to thank everyone who came to the information evening, whether they are parents, neighbours, or local politicians. We are really excited about finally being in a new home at the heart of Rathcoole Village and are looking forward to working together to deliver what’s best for the children and community”.
Further information on Rathcoole ETNS is available at rathcooleetns.ie
