Sir, – John McHugh’s assessment of the funding crisis in post-primary education (“Voluntary contributions are essential to our schools,” Education, March 3rd) resonates deeply with those of us operating at the “breaking point” he describes.
He correctly identifies the department’s focus on a new statutory charter as “governance by distraction” – an attempt to police the consequences of a funding deficit rather than addressing the deficit itself.
Saint Eunan’s College in Letterkenny is a living embodiment of this institutional neglect. Our school is 120 years old, yet our last significant building investment occurred in the 1970s. For nearly 30 years, through the tenure of three successive principals, we have campaigned for a new build.
Like many others, we have spoken in good faith about promised improvements, only to learn via media reports that our project has been stalled or quietly shelved. Millions of euro in public funds have already been expended on this single project to bring it to its current stage. This is a staggering waste of both time and State resources.
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We wish to strongly support McHugh’s argument regarding voluntary contributions. In our experience, these are not for “vanity projects” but are essential “survival mechanisms” used to patch up leaky roofs and keep outdated boilers alive.
The suggestion that schools are sitting on piles of cash is deeply offensive to those of us struggling to keep the lights on. It is insulting that the department now seeks to impose further statutory reporting obligations on schools.
As McHugh notes, to demand accountability for how we manage scarcity, while consistently ignoring the underlying funding imbalance, is institutional hypocrisy. The reality is simple: if the State funded its own education system adequately, the need for these contributions would vanish.
We join McHugh in calling for the State to fully accept and fund its responsibility for education. Our students deserve to learn in buildings that are safe, warm and fit for purpose – delivered by a department that prioritises investment over distraction. – Yours, etc,
DAMIEN MCCROARY,
Principal and secretary,
Board of Management,
Saint Eunan’s College,
Letterkenny,
Co Donegal.
