Calls for Minister Naughton to visit Sligo following exclusion of local schools from priority building programme

By Philip Rooney, The Sligo Champion

There has been a strong reaction to yesterday’s news that no Sligo school was included in the Government’s two year priority building programme, with Cllr Marie Casserly confirming she has submitted a motion to be heard at the next plenary meeting of Sligo County Council which will ask Minister for Education and Youth Hildegarde Naughton to “Clearly outline the criteria by which schools are selected for inclusion in capital investment programmes.”

Calling for Minister Naughton to visit the schools in Sligo that have been overlooked, Cllr Casserly said they are in “Critical need of investment and no longer fit for purpose.”

In a letter to Minister Naughton, Cllr Casserly extended an invitation to Sligo so that the Minister can see for herself the “outdated, poor condition” of schools in the area.

Cllr Casserly’s letter to Minister Naughton is republished below in full.

I am writing to urgently request that you visit the schools in County Sligo that are in critical need of investment due to their age and the fact that they are no longer fit for purpose. Many of these buildings are outdated, in poor condition, and unable to meet the basic educational, safety, and accessibility needs of students and staff.

We were deeply disappointed to learn that these schools were not included in the list of projects published yesterday. This omission has caused significant concern and frustration among students, teachers, parents, and the wider community. After years of waiting, advocating, and providing updates, it is extremely disheartening to see no progress reflected for those schools most in need.

There also appears to be a serious disconnect between the schools themselves and the Department in relation to where these projects currently stand in terms of planning and design. I have sent numerous requests to your office providing updated and accurate information on the progress and readiness of the schools, yet each time I receive the same stock response. This lack of engagement with the specific details provided is not only beyond frustrating, but it is also deeply disrespectful to the students, staff, parents, and school leaders who have worked tirelessly to move these projects forward.

It gives the impression that the realities faced by our schools are not being fully acknowledged or understood. Clear communication and transparency are essential if confidence is to be maintained in the process. Our community deserves meaningful responses that reflect the information being submitted, rather than generic replies that fail to address the substance of our concerns.

Many classrooms in Sligo continue to suffer from inadequate heating, poor ventilation, insufficient space, and deteriorating infrastructure. These conditions are unacceptable in a modern education system and place unnecessary strain on both students and teachers. Our schools should be environments that support learning, wellbeing, and equality of opportunity, not buildings that hinder them.

We respectfully request a clear explanation as to why the schools in Sligo that are most in need were excluded from the recently published list. Furthermore, we strongly urge you to visit these schools in person so that you can see firsthand the conditions in which children are expected to learn and educators are expected to work.

Students, teachers, and parents in Sligo have been waiting far too long for progress. We deserve better communication, better transparency, and a genuine commitment to delivering the investment our schools so urgently require.

Cllr Marie Casserly, Chair Sligo Drumcliffe Municipal District.

Article Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.