Seventy-five pupils in Co Mayo face another week without classes because their 101-year-old school is infested with rats.The three-teacher St Mary's primary school, Aughamore, near Ballyhaunis, was closed by the board of management last week because of the "appalling conditions" there.
Parents ripped up floorboards in the three classrooms to discover the remains of rats. Earlier, rodents had been found behind the skirting boards. Local TD Mr Jim Higgins is furious that no action has been taken by the Department of Education on the issue.
"For weeks the stench of dead rats has been unbearable. The moment one opens the front door the smell attacks you. As a result the management board had no option but to close the school."
The school has no indoor recreational area, limited outdoor space for playing, no cloakroom, no staffroom, no general purpose room, limited toilet facilities, and the sewage regularly backs up.
The Department of Health said it had received an application for grant assistance and would give it detailed consideration as soon as possible under the Government's building programme. "In the meantime there is clearly a need to ensure that any health and safety issues, including vermin infestation, at the school are attended to."