Crisis of Education in Tyrrelstown - Published in the "Community Voice"

Crisis of Education in Tyrrelstown

Education is widely agreed to be the tool that will liberate our children from underdevelopment. But the children in Tyrrelstown are at an immediate disadvantage due to the poor planning by those whose responsibility it was to ensure that the right facilities where put in place.

Tyrrelstown is an approx 2,200 residential development that started to accommodate families in 2001 without a primary school for the residents. The developers and the Council conveniently approved the building of shops and other business facilities while the only primary school in the area was built as a temporary structure in December 2005. It has been 4 years since the Tyrrelstown Educate Together School was built as a tentative measure on temporary grounds with capacity for 75 pupils only. In 2009 the school has to cater for an additional 80 children on top of its current commitment.

The teachers have however done immensely well to run a school that clearly lacks the capacity to accommodate the number of children of school going age who live in the area. The quality of education is commendable but the make shift condition of the school is regrettable.

A recent report (A Profile of the needs of the Tyrrelstown Community, 2008) submitted that Tyrrelstown as a residential development was not viable. Based on the 2006 census, the report states that there are “18 new births a month in the area”. This means that in 2010 there will be 216 children who were born in 2006 who will be eligible for school places. This is a very high number for a school that presently has the capacity to cater for only 75 children. The Tyrrelstown Educate Together School will no doubt continue to experience a soaring waiting list and disappointed parents to boot. This will clearly pose a problem for affected families who would ideally want to send their children to the local school but unfortunately have to consider unacceptable options such as sending children to distant schools and not being able to have siblings in the same school, all of which place added financial burdens upon families in these difficult times.

In December 2008, the council granted permission to the Twinlite Development for the building of two 2 storey primary schools in the area. The school will consist of 16 classrooms with separate playgrounds, resource rooms, admin/staff rooms in each block.

There will also be a shared two storey community centre and general purpose hall which will include a conference / meeting rooms, offices and changing rooms, all with on site car parking with 79 spaces. The general land area for the school will be 6.91 acres.

The new school project has the potential to address some of the primary educational needs of Tyrrelstown in regards to primary school places. It also promises to address the issue of a community facility for residents – especially young people who will have a centre they can go to for youth group activities. The question however is: when will this project get off the ground? It is important that any issues between the developers, Fingal County Council and the Department of Education should be overcome as soon as possible to enable the project commence. The children who are the future of Tyrrelstown need action NOW and not empty promises.


By Ignatius Okafor