Sir, - I write to express annoyance on two counts in the public life of the Limerick area. One has to do with the growing rift between the rich and the poor in our society, and the way our Government contributes to this. The other matter has to do with wasting taxpayers' money.
A secondary school is proposed for the Castletroy area of Limerick and a powerful lobby is influencing our Department of Education in that direction. Castletroy is two miles out from two existing secondary schools in Limerick, both of which have decreasing pupil numbers: Ard Schoil Mhuire, Corbally, and Presentation Secondary School, Sexton Street. A third secondary school run by the Salesian Sisters is also declining in numbers.
As a person whose work entails visiting primary schools in the Limerick area, I myself know that numbers are declining in all primary schools except two in the city and suburbs.
Castletroy is increasing in population - there are around 14,000 people there to date - but many of these are students attending the university and university personnel, not secondary school pupils. A secondary school in nearby Lisnagry/Castleconnell area actually closed during the 1970s. So here is a powerful lobby of political aspirants and university upper class demanding that our Government spend taxpayers' money to convenience themselves, even at the risk of being unjust to existing secondary schools and their teachers which have given, and are giving, good service to education over the years. I protest strongly against this move, and I ask why our Department of Education is giving credence and attention to the advocators of same. - Yours, etc.
(Home-School-Liaison Person)
Ashbourne Ave,
Limerick.