Ms Carmel de Grae:

Go raibh míle maith agaibh as an cuireadh teacht chun labhairt leis an gcoiste inniu. Is mise Carmel De Grae, príomhoide Scoil Chaitríona agus tá Caroline Conroy, cathaoirleach coiste na tuismitheoirí liom inniu.

Táim anseo ar son Scoil Chaitríona, meánscoil lán-Ghaeilge, comhoideachas, le 449 dalta sa scoile. Tá áthas orm go bhfuil an deis againn ár mbuairtí a phlé maidir leis an suíomh in aice leis an scoil a úsáid mar lár ionad tollta don MetroLink.

Scoil Chaitríona was established by the Dominican Sisters in 1928 as the first all-Irish secondary school for girls in the country. It was set up to promote, preserve and inspire a love for the Irish language and culture. In 1987 the school became co-educational. The majority of our students are drawn from Glasnevin, Drumcondra, Phibsboro, Ballymun and Finglas.

We are very proud of our great tradition of excellence. We celebrate the achievements of our students academically, in sport and culturally. Our past pupils have gone on to great success in all aspects of Irish life.

We are part of a shared campus with Na Fianna GAA club, Scoil Mobhí primary school and the Naíonra Tír na n-Óg. We have a mutually supportive relationship with these organisations and together we form a vibrant breac-Ghaeltacht. We share facilities and resources and there is a considerable overlap in our communities. Our students benefit hugely from being a part of this community. The facilities are used not just during school time but are available as a resource to the local community agus ba mhaith linn cuireadh a thabhairt don choiste teacht ar chuairt chun láithreán na scoile a fheiceáil. We also would like to invite the committee to the school to experience and visualise what we have to offer.

The current proposal to locate a tunnel-boring machine launch site for the proposed MetroLink, directly at the school would render the school inoperable. Parents from the school have already realised this and have expressed their worries to us that they would have to withdraw their children from the school should this go ahead. It would not be possible in any practical way to run a school less than five metres from a substantial building site of historic proportions. Our art room is about 2 m from the boundary of the proposed works. The proposed use of the site on Mobhi Road as a boring site would have a detrimental effect on Scoil Chaitríona in the following areas: the health and safety of our students and staff; the educational environment of our students and the working conditions for staff; the ability of our students to complete their State examination requirements; access to the school and traffic congestion; school enrolment; and the destruction of an all-Irish community.

I refer to the health and safety of our students and staff. We are gravely concerned about the effect the increase in air pollution due to dust, diesel trucks and chemicals used on the site would have on the health of all students, employees and visitors. Prolonged exposure to this increased air pollution would be particularly severe on those who suffer from asthma, bronchial impairment, breathing difficulties or cystic fibrosis, or who have a compromised immune system. The proposed works will impact on their ongoing attendance at and enjoyment of Scoil Chaitríona and Scoil Mobhí.

Teaching and learning would have to compete with hugely increased noise levels as the school would be trying to operate within a couple of metres of a building site of unprecedented size. Realistically how could any school function with the noise levels that would come from this construction site? Scoil Chaitríona would also have reduced access to the facilities, sporting and otherwise, which we share with Na Fianna, Naíonra Tír na n-Óg and Scoil Mobhí.

The ability of our students to complete their State examination requirements would also be affected. The requirements for State examinations are no longer simply terminal written examinations. Assessment at junior certificate is ongoing with students undertaking school-based assessments in second and third year. Practical exams and project work are now required in many subjects at leaving certificate level. Preparation for these takes place in school throughout the whole school year. There would be a serious negative impact on our students’ abilities to reach their educational potential with the disruption from the proposals.

I refer to access to the school. The proposed works would create a serious difficulty for staff and students in actually getting to school and getting into the school grounds. Mobhi Road is currently bumper to bumper on a daily basis. Any construction will increase the gridlock for cars and public transport. Due to the the site position, school buses would be unable to drop students on Mobhi Road. Additionally, the drop off point in Na Fianna for both schools would not be available. Parents have already expressed anxiety about the health and safety of students cycling or walking to school. Construction traffic, which further jeopardises safe cycling and walking would contradict the policies of the various Government departments regarding physical and mental health and well-being.

The previous problems presume we still have a school enrolment. Scoil Chaitríona has an enrolment of 449 students which is the largest student body we have ever had. Our primary school numbers are growing and we expect to grow our numbers in coming years. This formed the basis of our application for additional accommodation which has been agreed by the Department of Education and Skills. Since the announcement of this MetroLink consultation, we have had a steady stream of inquiries from parents who are concerned about sending their children to what will essentially be a building site for the duration of their secondary education. They have indicated that if it goes ahead as planned, they will withdraw their children. We would then go from a school with growing enrolment to one which would have threatened viability.

With Na Fianna, Scoil Mobhí and Tír na nÓg, we have a well established, unique Irish language community on the north side of Dublin. Scoil Mobhí and Scoil Chaitríona are the only schools directly, adversely affected by the proposed MetroLink. Both schools work as Gaeilge. This project would appear to contradict Government policy to conserve and promote our language, heritage and culture of the community. It seems counterproductive to provide a facility for a community which would then be destroyed in the process. We are deeply committed to promoting the Irish language and culture.

In summary, fundamentally, the proposed plan will tear the heart out of the community’s educational, cultural and sporting facilities. We welcome the concept of MetroLink and any proposals to improve public transport and punctuality in Dublin but not at any cost. No reason has been given to us for this location of the tunnel-boring machine launch site other than the engineering convenience. Surely the impact on the community at the site must outweigh other considerations. This has had an immediate, concrete impact on our school. The proposals have generated uncertainty in our school community and among current and prospective students' parents. It is urgent that we get clarity about those proposals in order to secure the future of the school. We need that clarity before the end of this school year. We have students who have places for next September whose parents need an answer on this. We would respectfully ask TII to look for an alternative site which would not have such a devastating impact on the communities which are part of the heart and soul of the area. We need a definite answer immediately to avoid a loss of enrolment. We will be celebrating 90 years of Scoil Chaitríona through 2018. We hope that the school will be flourishing and that we will be celebrating our centenary in 2028. We would be unable to achieve that aspiration if these proposals go ahead as planned. Go raibh míle maith agaibh as éisteacht linn.