More than 60 pupils refused to attend classes in the Carna Community School - Scoil Phlobail Mhic Dara - last Wednesday in protest about the heating system in the scbool.

Pupils who lined up outside the front of the sehool in protest said that tbey were cold in their classrooms and that it was a problem they had for some time.

After discussions witb a representative of the teachers the pupils came inside the building but said their protest would continue all day.

Parents were told about the protest and most of the pupils went home. They returned to their classes on Thursday mornig.

School Vice Principal, Mairéad Mhic Dhonnchadha said that there were long standing difficulties the heating system which is in place for up to 50 years.

She said that the plumbers had been in the school in tbe days before the protest and that it would take a while for some of tbe heating system to warm up again.

She said that the pupils had made it clear that their protest was not aimed at the teachers.

The Carna Community School Principal, Tomas Ó Nídh and the chairman of the Board of Management, Councillor Seosamh Ó Cuaig met Education Minister Mary Hannifin a fortnight ago about the condition of the school in Carna. They were looking for a major job on tbe school and a new heating system is one of the demands.

Curadh Chonnachtach 21/3/2008

Pupils of scoil Phobail Mhic Dara went on strike Iast week over continuing issues with the school's heating systeni. The school was founded as a secondary school in 1959 by the Sisters of Mercv before becoming a Scoil Phobail in 1973.

The school's management is understood to be seeking urgent funding for some time to carry out repairs on the fifty vear old structure, but it was the lack of heat in the building on Thursday of last week which finally forced the issue, and the entire complement of the sehools student refused to attend any classes that day.

The Department ef Education is understood to have already allocated emergency funding to Scoil Phobail Mhic Dara. but as seems to be quite common in such cases the school's management have been given no idea when this "allocation" can actually be drawn down.

At a recent meeting in the Clayton Hotel, Galway, where beth Education Minister. Mary Hanafin and Gaeltaeht Minister Eamon Ó Cuív were in attendance, Clir. Seosamh Ó Cuaig savs representatives from Carna were given ten minutes to outline the difficuities faced bv the school's staff and 150 pupils. Six years ago in 2002. a sehedule of accommodation was agreed with the Department wherebv certain works would be carried out. To date, howexer, nothing has been done and the schools antiquated heating systeni is a continueus source of disruption.

The Board of Management are alse trying to get funding from the Department of the Gaeltacht as the building is also used as an Irish Language School to facilitate pupils visitine the Gaeltacht during the Summer months.

Glór Chonamara 21/3/2008