Limerick school is forced to close due to 'rodent activity'

A Co Limerick primary school was advised to close by the Health Service Executive Mid-Western Area after a rat was spotted there…

A Co Limerick primary school was advised to close by the Health Service Executive Mid-Western Area after a rat was spotted there this week.

While Kilfinane National School, which caters for 134 children, is expected to open on Monday, parents and Into members are "outraged" over conditions at the 100-year-old building.

In a statement issued by the Health Service Executive Mid-Western Area yesterday, it was announced that the school was advised to close to allow pest control treatment to be carried out.

"Some slight rodent activity was noted in Kilfinane school in recent days," the statement reads. "As a result, the school has been closed on the advice of the Health Service Executive Mid-Western Area to enable remedial measures to be put in place, and to allow pest-control treatment to be carried out as a precautionary measure."

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A consultants' report commissioned by Into last year highlights problems at the school, where pupils have to use outside toilet facilities.

Among its findings are lack of lighting and heating in the toilets, and absence of physical education facilities. It also says the surface of the school yard is uneven and that first aid has to be administered in the staff toilets.

Parents and teachers are hoping the school will soon get approval for a major upgrade.

Local Fianna Fáil TD John Cregan says he has received assurance from Education Minister Mary Hanafin that Kilfinane will be added to the list of 30 schools earmarked in the new schools building programme.

"The Minister said this week that she has 100 further schools to be added to that, and I'm reasonably confident that Kilfinane will figure very shortly," he said.

However, Seamus Long, of Into, is outraged that the school had to close last Wednesday.

"On March 8th the staff at the school wrote to the Minister for Education pointing out the problem we were having, particularly with rodents and rats, and pointed out that this issue first arose just before Christmas," he said.

"The staff and the Into members there have been extremely patient in my view."

Meanwhile, local Fine Gael TD for West Limerick, Dan Neville, has criticised the Government for failing to deliver on pre-election promises of a new school.

"Kilfinane National School has been closed because of rat infestation which, in the 21st century, is an absolute disgrace," he said.

"The current unacceptable situation endangers the health and safety of children, and cannot be allowed to continue.

"A new school was promised to the people of Kilfinane prior to the last election, and they were told that progress would be made immediately if the Government was returned to power."