Ballyfermot parents are "delighted" at the decision to pause the planned amalgamation of three secondary schools after the project was plagued by construction delays and concerns that students would be segregated.
It has been proposed by the Department of Education that the St Dominic's, St Carita's and St John's secondary schools amalgamate into one building at St Seton's in Ballyfermot in September 2022.
However, the project has been plagued with construction delays and concerns over students having to attend three separate campuses in the interim.
As reported by Dublin Live, parents were sent a letter last week by the trustees at St Seton's stating that they are seeking an extension to the planned reopening of the school, which was planned to open on September 1.
At Tuesday night's meeting, parents, students, local political representatives and school representatives spoke at length about the challenges facing St Seton's, such as a delay in the construction in the new building and concerns about the facilities available to students.
Cllr Daithi Doolan who chaired last night's meeting, said that everyone is working together to get the best education facilities for the community.
Speaking during the meeting, Cllr Doolan said: "Ballyfermot parents, pupils, principals and political representatives are working together to demand the best education facilities for our community. We have requested a meeting with the Minister for Education and the boards of trustees to ensure there is proper consultation and facilities at the new site at St.Setons."
Speaking to Dublin Live after the meeting, Lisa Marie Hughes who set up Ballyfermot Parents United, said that they welcome the pause on the amalgamation.
She previously told Dublin Live that parents are not opposed to the amalgamation of the three schools, but rather are concerned that the promised new building is not completed and that students will be segregated over three different campuses.
Lisa Marie said: "We are delighted and welcome the pause on the amalgamation, and going forward we want to see a roadmap for how education in Ballyfermot will look with continued consultations with students, parents, staff and community representatives.
"If we press ahead with the current amalgamation process it will give our children a choice or two co-ed schools. We feel this would put both schools under immense pressure 10 years down the line."
Lisa Marie noted that with seven upcoming housing projects taking place in and around Ballyfermot that families will need access to secondary schools.
She said: "With all this new building families will be relocated and coming to live and work here and will need access to secondary schools. If we take that the combined capacity for St Seton's and Kylemore College will be somewhere between 1,200-1,300 students this could potentially leave upwards of 500 plus students without a secondary school place.
"This is causing great concern for us as parents as well as teaching staff, what we would like to see is the retention of all three schools in Ballyfermot to ensure our children can access their right to education in the future."
A spokesman for the Department of Education told Dublin Live: "The Department has been in engagement with the patrons in respect of the school accommodation and the patrons have indicated that the proposed arrangement is satisfactory pending the delivery of the new accommodation."
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