Guarded welcome for Star of the Sea Announcement

Last week’s announcement that work will finally start on the new Star of the Sea primary school in Passage West is a most welcome development in the long running saga of Star of the Sea. It represents the end of an eleven year wait and a hard fought campaign by the students, parents and staff of the school if it becomes a reality. While others will claim credit, in truth credit belongs to the local community alone for the pressure they have put on the government.

I would be cautious about getting hopes up however as I fear that the school is once again being used as an election PR stunt by Fianna Fail. This would not be the first false dawn over the course of the eleven years since the new school was first promised by Michael Martin.

With the latest announcement coming less than 24 hours before the Taoiseach admitted that huge cuts will be made to the national development program serious questions must be asked over the security of the funds approved.

I must stress that the community of Passage West must be weary of the past. No one wants to hear about people playing politics in the current environment but I fear the worst. An article in the Irish Times on the 9^th of November 2006, when Michael McGrath was campaigning for the 2007 general election, listed Star of the Sea in Passage West as having been approved for a new school build. McGrath won his seat in the Dail with a huge vote from Passage West. Three years on there has been no actual progress, just another announcement and another election this time with the brothers of both Michael McGrath and Michael Martin looking for seats on Cork County Council.

With the local elections in June a real opportunity exists to ensure actual progress is made on the building of the school. If as I suspect there will be no planning permission applied for, no evidence of design work or no work taking place on site then the residents of Passage West need to show their disapproval at the ballot box.