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LAST UPDATE | 18 Feb 2021
THE DROGHEDA EDUCATE Together is to remain on its current site, it has been announced, after parents and school leaders expressed their dismay at plans to move the secondary school to a new location.
The Drogheda Educate Together school is currently located on Mill Road in east Meath, but plans ratified by the Louth and Meath Education and Training Board (LMETB) would have seen it moved to the grounds of St Oliver’s Community College in the town.
Local TDs branded the plans for relocation “ridiculous” and said the preference for all was to keep the school located in the east Meath area.
Plans for the new site would have seen modular buildings put in place that would “encroach on a significant portion” of the playing pitches and recreational space at St Oliver’s.
It would have been the third move for the Educate Together second-level school in the last number of years.
Following the backlash, the National Office of Educate Together held talks with the Department of Education on the matter.
In a statement today, Educate Together announced that the Drogheda school will stay on its current site on Mill Road for the 2021/22 school year and will not be relocated to a site on Rathmullen Road.
Educate Together said it is understood that the Department of Education has reached agreement in principle to purchase a permanent site for the school which incorporates its current temporary site on Mill Road, so that a permanent building can be constructed at the school’s current location.
Speaking about the announcement, Educate Together CEO Emer Nowlan said: “This is wonderful news for Drogheda Educate Together Secondary School, which can now continue to grow and develop in its current location, becoming a thriving school serving the community in east Meath.
“It is particularly welcome news for students in the school and their families for whom the uncertainty of recent weeks has been unsettling.”
The DETSS parents building committee responded to the news this evening in a statement, saying it is “delighted and relieved”.
“We are extremely grateful to all of our local TDs who worked tirelessly over the past weeks to ensure our school remains on the Mill Road,” the committee said.
The committee also expressed its thanks to Meath County Council, parents, students and staff members of the school.
“Students can now enjoy the rest of the midterm and are assured that their school and parents have their best interests at heart,” it said.
The committee added: “Whilst we very much appreciate that the decision to relocate our school has been reversed, we call on the relevant departments to engage with key stakeholders, in particular students and parents before decisions such as this are taken in an arbitrary manner.
“This has been an incredibly stressful time for students, parents and the school’s staff and we do hope that no other school and community has to endure what we just experienced.
“We trust all key parties will ensure that building works begin as soon as possible and we look forward to seeing our permanent school flourish on the Mill Road as a key part of our powerful, united community.”
The Department of Education has been contacted for comment.
With reporting by Sean Murray
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That’s 12 years away surely it shouldn’t take that long?
@Padraic Burke: for all plastic waste fair enough but coffee cups?
@Padraic Burke: Agree. Too little too late. Do it now please.
@Gillian Scully: we don’t have to wait til then. Ireland could lead the way here regarding the cups. We were the first with the plastic bags. Surely there is already an alternative to those cups available.
@Gillian Scully: however nobody has fully proven what is better for the environment. Multiuse cups are more difficult to produce and what about the water and detergent to wash them. I am not saying what they are doing is wrong….just that we don’t knoe
@Ronan Sexton: you’re dead right, Ronan. Australia still has plastic bags….and plastic reusable shopping bags are as big a problem. Ireland will lead the way because ireland is a testing ground for these changes. We were years ahead on the smoking ban too. This will take 12 years because politics is slow… a lack of speed and initiative is important when maintaining the status quo.
@Padraic Burke: agreed why not 2020?
@Padraic Burke:
We can do better and we can lead the way.
We voted for same sex marriage…and who would have thought that would happen.
We brought in a tax for plastic bags and we coped admirably with that.
Smoking ban in pubs and many other places.
We are an island along with lots of little islands with fantastic beaches and great fishing and amazing views.
I don’t want my island spoiled by plastic. Make a stand and stop using one non recyclable plastic item. Please?
2030? that is one plastic cup being kicked down the road.
Time line is far too long. An explanation for this is needed given the urgency.
I hope by 2030 they mean half past right.
@Ciarán McPhillips: Eight. Half past eight. :-)
@Ciarán McPhillips: ah don’t you hate it when a good line is ruined by spellchecker
12 year’s is too long, it should be by 2025 at the latest. There are plenty of “Environmentally Eco-Cups” available on the market now why make the end user pay tax for something the shops and manufacturers could change over if they were made do so.
Surly a plastic water bottles are alot more damaging !!!
@Gerard Heery: Not true as plastic bottles can be recycled, whereas disposable coffee cups cannot (believe it or not).
@Kyle O’Toole: sorry l was thinking about all the plastic bottles blowing around the country side.
More recycling needed to be sure but companies shouldn’t be allowed to sell products in this country where the packaging is not recyclable. At a stroke of a pen our Minister for the environment could change that, just as was done with the plastic bag tax which worked brilliantly.
Ireland No. 1! Ole Ole Ole Ole.
@alphanautica: COYBIG!
A,B,C
Always Bring a Cup
Convenience and laziness will end up destroying our wonderful plant. Plastic is useful but our lives are saturated with the stuff. There are alternatives and ways around the over-reliance of plastic. We need to take action before it’s too late. (BTW, 2030 is ludicrous)
Just coffee cups, by the sounds of it. Tea is okay
European wide plastic tax proposed oh oh.
EU was much quicker forming its EU army,once it got the UK away from the negotiating table,as the UK always blocked forming it.
By 2030 these politicians will be gone or dead. Indeed I’ll be near dead or dead. What use is this type of forward planning to me or people in their 60s 70s or 80s. Finger out please.
It may well be too late by then!!.
Need action now on plastic, it is destroying the planet
My recycling bin is full to the brim on every collection. If there was a way of buying products without all the crap they are presented in it would be fantastic. I think most companies would have an alternative in mind but as long as they aren’t banned they won’t make the move. Ban the lot and see how we get on
Why are we producing so much plastic anyway. ?
Why so long?
We are the first and only only species that guilts itself for using a few of the uncerde” resources during our previous few decades of life.
@Neal Ireland Hello. *the universe’s
2030 Ban on for single use coffee cups?
That is a complete waste of time and money. Either BAN then now or don’t Ban them at all.
We have technological advancements that can replace these single use cups tomorrow if push comes to shove. But nobody acts on it.
Wow can’t wait
have your say