Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Tipperary ETB has been instructed to offload any buildings it is not using for education and further education purposes from the Department of Education to hit climate change goals. As such, Butler Charteris Hall in Cahir has been put up for sale despite it being used as a preschool for several years under a licence agreement with the ETB. This is farcical. Why does the Department of Education not talk to the Department with responsibility for childcare? Childcare is in crisis. We in Cathair Dún Iascaigh are fortunate, to have a lady, an iarmhúinteoir, and her daughter to run what is unique - a Montessori naíonra. Kathleen Ó Loinsigh and her daughter, Julia, are providing an excellent school there, with 44 daltaí - 44 little young people. I have been there. I have seen them, and they are from all over the world. They learn Irish more quickly than they learn any other language, Ms Ó Loinsigh tells me, and I have seen it. They are from up to 30 different countries.

It would be awful if this has to close because of a rule the Department of Education brought in without talking to the Department with responsibility for childcare. A bit of joined-up thinking would help keep this wonderful facility in a wonderful hall - it is a listed building - operating for the young people of Cahir.

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