The parents of children at a Steiner school in Co Clare which lost a High Court judgment over State funding in April, are trying to raise £15,000 in one night by babysitting for the millennium.
Parents of pupils at Cooleenbridge School, Tuamgraney, have been struggling for 12 years to fund their children's school without financial assistance from the Department of Education. Earlier this year they brought the Department before the High Court in an attempt to force it to recognise their school.
They lost, thereby adding to the £120,000 a year needed to keep the school open.
"We are offering baby-sitting services for the millennium. For a fee, plus modest expenses, we will go anywhere in Ireland, or even abroad, on and around December 31st," said Mr Pierce O'Sheil, education director of the school.
With about 30 teachers and parents available at about £500 per night as millennium baby-sitters, the school hopes to raise about £15,000 on the night.
Baby-sitting engagements outside Ireland would have to be for a minimum of three days.
"Even we would not face flying to New York or Frankfurt for just one night," Mr O'Sheil said.
In Ireland, Steiner's "baby-sitting unit" would also be prepared to work for two or three nights to cater for clients' "millennium hangover" if required, he said.
"We are offering a professional service from people with a strong educational ethos. Potential customers may also be motivated by the fact that they will be helping our school." The Cooleenbridge school was established in 1986 and, despite this year's court setback, Mr O Sheil says it is going from strength to strength. Much interest in the school comes from those who have lived abroad and are accustomed to choice in the educational opportunities available to their children, he says.
The Waldorf/Steiner method of teaching follows the teachings of Rudolf Steiner who established a school in Stuttgart in 1919. The method is based on a broad grounding in arts and crafts as well as academic subjects.
Formal academic study does not start until the child is six, as is usual on the Continent, according to Mr O'Sheil.
In the High Court case last April Ms Justice Laffoy ruled that the State was entitled to refuse funding because of the school's failure to employ teachers with State-recognised qualifications and because of inadequate provision for the teaching of Irish.
Ms Justice Laffoy was, however, critical of the Department of Education's handling of the application for State aid by the school and said it would be unfortunate if Cooleenbridge ceased to operate because of a lack of resources.
The Department indicated it might consider any new approach from the school.
Last night Mr O Sheil said the case against the Department had not been finalised and the prospect of an appeal was still pending.
Mr O Sheil said initially that he thought £500 was a lot to ask for baby-sitting but added that people would agree the cause was worthwhile.
When The Irish Times put it to him that some Dublin agencies were planning to charge up to £4,000 per night for baby-sitting services, he said the school "would never be that outrageous".