Children attending the protest outside Leinster House this morning

HUNDREDS OF PARENTS and children from a school in west Dublin gathered outside Leinster House this morning in protest at a delay in a new school build.

St Mochta’s National School in Clonsilla claims it was promised a fast-tracked new school in 2006 in return for expanding its enrolment in its catchment area.

In doing so the school claims it “kept its promise and enrolled an additional 240 children in the new school”.

This morning’s protest was an effect of “parents and children having had enough” according to the School Build Action Group.

Pupils and children arriving at Pearse Station before the protest this morning

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Parents and teachers claim that the unchanged school building is no longer fit for purpose, with leaks, mould, and damp commonplace in the structures.

The school says that while funding was promised to it in November 2015 in advance of the general election, in August of this year the Department of Education said that that funding had stalled.

At present over half of the school’s 907 pupils are taking their classes in prefabricated buildings according to the group.

“Enough is enough,” said Tara Kelly, a parent who attended the protest. “We have a wonderful teaching staff that put our children first and we expect the same from our Government.”

The protesters called on Minister for Education Richard Bruton to reverse the decision to delay construction on the new school build via next week’s budget.

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