Dear Sir/Madam,
In correspondence to the news coverage on “Synge Street CBS opening its doors to girls for the first time in 160 years and transitioning to an all-Irish Gaelcholáiste” published on September 11th, we appreciate your attention on Dublin 8’s educational ecosystem.
However, as a communal body striving for a new multidenominational secondary school in Dublin 8, we feel obliged to clarify a couple of points articulated in the report.
Specifically, the assertion that Dublin 8 is “depopulated” does not correspond with reality. Quite to the contrary, there are certain regions within Dublin 8 that have experienced an impressive surge in population relative to other city districts.
Furthermore, there isn’t any established “community secondary school” within Dublin 8 as stated in the article.
As it currently stands, children aiming to pursue education in a multidenominational school are often compelled to leave their local community and perhaps join Sandymount Educate Together secondary school, remarkably instituted to serve Dublin 8, entailing a hefty 90-minute travel time in each direction for some students. This results in secondary school children within Dublin 8 having some of the country’s lengthiest school journeys.
We, Educate D8, are enthusiastic about CBS Synge Street’s decision to transform into a co-educational Gaelcholáiste, which presents a wider array of choices for students dwelling in Dublin 8.
Moreover, we’d like to upshot our immediate plea for a novel multidenominational secondary school in the Dublin 8 vicinity, accessible to all children notwithstanding their religious beliefs, gender, linguistic competence or special educational requirements. We firmly assert that children in Ireland merit an opportunity to receive genuinely inclusive education within their local circles.
Sincerely,
MARIA GOLPE VARELA,
Representing Parents from the EducateD8 Campaign, Dublin 8.