Breathnach accused of breaking promise

THE Minister for Education has been accused of breaking a promise she made shortly before the two Cork by elections two years…

THE Minister for Education has been accused of breaking a promise she made shortly before the two Cork by elections two years ago to provide a new school for handicapped children in the city.

Parents and friends of children attending Scoil Triest special school in Lota, Cork, demonstrated outside the Department of Education offices in the city yesterday over delays in building the £900,000 school.

Scoil Triest is a special school for students aged from four to l8 who have communication disorders, including autism, language disorders and hearing impairment.

Children and their teachers have been in temporary prefabricated buildings since 1983. Permission and funding was first agreed by the Department in 1985 and then withdrawn because of Government cat backs.

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Ms Linda O Callaghan, chairwoman of the parents' sub committee, said they were particularly angry with Ms Breathnach who pledged the money before the November, 1994, by elections in Cork.

"Despite this promise, the Minister has refused to sanction the go ahead of the building."