Rezoning for new Gaelscoil in Mayfield refused

professore

Its So Easy wrote: »

Dr. Elaine Byrne's repsonse to her opinion piece which was published in the Irish times on the 20th of October 2009.

http://elaine.ie/?p=305

Having read through the thread. I apologise if I said things that I believed to be true at the time when they weren't. I live five minutes from the tank field and the moving of the pitch to allow for the building of the school would push it towards the pylons, that cross the area. This isn't fair to have kids playing near these high voltage pylons. I just feel that a suitable site should be found but that the tank filed should be left alone.

To be fair there are far more health risks to the kids in the prefabs at the moment, many of which are leaking and moulded. It beggars belief that there is such opposition to a school being built at this time in our nation's history. It says something about the priorities of people in modern Ireland. It is a shameful disgrace.

professore

pro_gnostic_8 wrote: »

And if they feel they should'nt have to go ................ forcibly re-locate them I suppose? While we're at it, why not have them concentrated into As Gaeilge re-education camps whilst in the country? Iarnrod Eireann could provide the cattle wagons I presume.

Much as you might wish it, this country thankfully yet has to go down the road of Mugabe's Zimbabwe or become a mirror of the Cambodia of Pol Pot.

We're getting there now !!!

brianmac90

Hey guys the community has set up a website informing people on the history and current campaign to save the tankfield take a look

http://www.savethetankfield.com

professore

A fantastically successful march on behalf of the school was held this Saturday morning, going from Lapps Quay to Bishop Lucey Park via Patrick Street. There were at least 1200 in attendance at a conservative estimate. This was made up of teachers, parents and students of the school. The march stretched the full length of Patrick Street. The atmosphere, along with the weather was excellent.

Mick Barry marched with us and we met some local TD's including Dara Murphy and Catherine Clancy at the end.

When I get some pictures I will post ...

gbee

A block of land is or was available for them in the Mayfield community school grounds.

If I had a catapult and a stone, I could fly the stone to that location. Why insist on destroying the tank field.

MunsterCycling

Because they can.

Wyldwood

professore wrote: »

we met some local TD's including Dara Murphy and Catherine Clancy at the end.

...

Doesn't Dara Murphy have children attending the Gaelscoil?

Oafley Jones

gbee wrote: »

A block of land is or was available for them in the Mayfield community school grounds.

If I had a catapult and a stone, I could fly the stone to that location. Why insist on destroying the tank field.

It didn't have the correct address for some of the parents.

FTGFOP

Is the poll not a bit... hysterical?

The poll is looney, totally biased and bordering on criminally insane. Mick Barry supporting the cause is no positive in my view.

MunsterCycling

Can a Mod please remove the Poll, its a disgrace.

professore

I have tried to have the poll altered to a yes or no but there is no way for me to alter it.

It was initially supposed to be a lighthearted look at the issue and not to be taken seriously but unfortunately people have no sense of humour when it comes to this issue.

professore

Wyldwood wrote: »

Doesn't Dara Murphy have children attending the Gaelscoil?

Yes. So does Cllr Brosnan - and he is against the school.

professore

gbee wrote: »

A block of land is or was available for them in the Mayfield community school grounds.

If I had a catapult and a stone, I could fly the stone to that location. Why insist on destroying the tank field.

This is not true! Please provide evidence that someone in the school rejected the Mayfield site. I would be delighted to have a school built there or anywhere in the area.

professore

On the poll again, in my and I would suppose the mod's opinion it's there now, we can't rewrite history, so it should stay, flawed and all as it is.

professore

I have highlighted some key phrases.

Source: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0328/1224293222050.html

The Irish Times - Monday, March 28, 2011

OLIVIA KELLEHER

PARENTS WHOSE children attend a primary school where pupils have been based in “temporary prefabs” for more than a decade took to the streets of Cork over the weekend to highlight the need for a new facility.

The parents association and teachers of Gaelscoil an Ghort Alainn in Mayfield on the north side of the Cork city say pupils have to endure damp and cramped conditions.

Marie Lee, whose son is a pupil at the school, said a campaign for a new facility has been under way for “18 long years” and that children could no longer be expected to sit in run-down prefabs.

“The children at the moment are being educated in prefabs. There is mould down the wall of the prefabs. We are just not putting up with it any more.”

This is a serious health and safety risk.

Spokesman for the parents’ association John McLoughlin said he was delighted with the turnout for Saturday’s rally, with hundreds of people gathering to march through the city centre.

The 15-teacher, 292-pupil school has been based in temporary prefabs on the grounds of Brian Dillon’s GAA club next to the Tank Field for more than a decade. Management at the school hope to build a new school on the Tank Field site, which is used for recreational purposes. The Department of Education recently lodged a fresh planning application for a school at the site in Mayfield.

This does not sound like a shrinking school to me as previous posters have tried to make out.

Members of the Montenotte Park Residents’ Association and Murmount Residents’ Association are opposed to plans to build a new school on the Tank Field, saying it is a valuable green area and local amenity. The residents associations held their own counter-rally in the Tank Field in Cork over the weekend.

In 2005 Cork city councillors decided to sell at an agreed price, and subject to planning, a 2.3 acre portion of the 11-acre Tank Field site [ to the Department of Education, which had sought planning permission for a new building for the Gaelscoil.

Councillors voted 15-13 in late 2007 to rezone a portion of the site to allow the school project to proceed but because a two-thirds majority was needed, the rezoning did not go ahead. In April 2008 An Bord Pleanála granted planning permission for the school.

Please note that there is NOTHING there about parents or teachers rejecting anything. We do not have the power to do this. Also please note that it is a small portion of the field that is needed in one corner, and not the destruction of the whole Tank Field area as is commonly repeated.

In September 2009 it emerged that if the project went ahead, power lines would cross over one of the proposed new playing pitches. Then city manager Joe Gavin confirmed a new planning permission would be needed. The department has been working on a new application since 2009.

And let me say AGAIN before someone comes in with it, although I can't speak for everyone, that I or any parents or teachers I have spoken to, DO NOT CARE if it is in Montenotte or Mayfield and would happily accept an alternative site. However I was at a meeting where a site at Tinkers Cross in Mayfield - how's that for posh???? was being discussed by the school but was deemed unsuitable by the Dept of Education, and interestingly already had local residents from there objecting to the location !!!!!!

The reality is it will take SEVERAL YEARS with the planning process to get to the stage we are at now with any alternative site, and all possible alternatives have been explored over the last 18 years and rejected by either An Bord Pleanala, The Dept. of Education or both. These are the facts.

If anyone can prove an alternative site was offered to the school and rejected by it then please provide proof of this, and I will happily agree, in fact I will take it to the school board post haste.

brianmac90

Over 60% of the students are not from the local area



The building will be the highest building in the city not the tallest and that it will block out the view and sun from some of houses nearby all so its a glass fronted building so that will mean that the privacy of peoples homes will be gone.

This building will devalue the houses that it will overlook.
ask your self this : would you buy a house that will be overlooked by a glass fronted school and also put up with the noise when the pupils are at play time.

The school was granted TEMPORY residence by the locals 14 years ago not knowing that they would be later fighting for their local green space.

The area has been zoned for sport and recreation and has been for the last number of years

The Tank field is the ONLY green space between Patrick's and Montenotte.

Your Poll is also biased and unfair.

brianmac90

Last Friday when the residence were gathering to observe the camogie blitz there were Gardaí around apparently someone made a call and suggested to the Gardaí that there would be disruptive behaviour during the camogie blitz there were two Gardaí there monitoring us.


I WONDER WHO IT COULD HAVE BEEN

TanG411

Out of interest, is it possible to pick up one of those ''Save Our Tank Field'' signs anywhere? I imagine Brian Dillons might have some?

professore

Interesting you ignored completely my questions and just come out again with "facts" without any backing in reality.

brianmac90 wrote: »

Over 60% of the students are not from the local area

How could you possibly know this? How do you define the local area? Please show some proof. Even if it's true, which it is not, what difference does it make?

The building will be the highest building in the city not the tallest and that it will block out the view and sun from some of houses nearby all so its a glass fronted building so that will mean that the privacy of peoples homes will be gone.

The highest not the tallest? Not sure what you mean by this. Taller than the Elysian?. It's a 2 story building.

This building will devalue the houses that it will overlook.
ask your self this : would you buy a house that will be overlooked by a glass fronted school and also put up with the noise when the pupils are at play time.

Yes I would. Good schools increase the value of property. Prefabs do not. Decreasing the value of houses is not a valid reason to prevent a school being built.

The school was granted TEMPORY residence by the locals 14 years ago not knowing that they would be later fighting for their local green space.

The area has been zoned for sport and recreation and has been for the last number of years

Not anymore. It's been rezoned now.

The Tank field is the ONLY green space between Patrick's and Montenotte.

No it isn't. See attached pic. Even in the immediate vicinity there are more green areas.

Your Poll is also biased and unfair.

Yes it is. I tried to change it but it can't be changed.

professore

brianmac90 wrote: »

Last Friday when the residence were gathering to observe the camogie blitz there were Gardaí around apparently someone made a call and suggested to the Gardaí that there would be disruptive behaviour during the camogie blitz there were two Gardaí there monitoring us.


I WONDER WHO IT COULD HAVE BEEN

That's a pretty serious allegation there my friend. Any proof?

I say to you again: PROVE WHAT YOU ARE SAYING. Let's be honest here, the whole Tank Field campaign has been based on lies and misinformation. If it was not you would be providing proof for your allegations. If you had seen our rally on Saturday morning it was a joy to behold, children singing happily in the sun, innocently believing that finally they might get a school that is fit for purpose. I think this is the only country in the world where there could be such trenchant opposition to a school. I simply can't believe how bad it is, and how the local politicans use it as a political football.

And for those of you worried about property values, consider this: The residents of Murmont are staunchly opposed to a school in their area. Don't think of moving there if you have a family. The whole property values argument is ridiculous right now anyway. Shows you the snob factor is alive and well amongst the residents.

Let me state again:

I just want a school for my children in the area, I don't care where it is

Stark

gbee wrote: »

A block of land is or was available for them in the Mayfield community school grounds.

If I had a catapult and a stone, I could fly the stone to that location. Why insist on destroying the tank field.

You wouldn't be able to call it "Montenotte" if you built it there.

professore

Stark wrote: »

You wouldn't be able to call it "Montenotte" if you built it there.

SIGH ... You have nothing except this pathetic snob argument, do you? No one calls it Montenotte, if your Irish was any good you would realise that "Gaelscoil an Ghoirt Álainn" translates to "Mayfield Gaelscoil"

Let me state again:

I just want a school for my children in the area, I don't care where it is

SHARE THE TANK FIELD

TanG411

The green area from your screenshot across from the Tank Field is all downhill. That definetly can not be used by children for playing, bar a tiny piece of green at the top of the hill. Plus its very close to the road.

The second one located in Merrion Court would be a big no-no. The Tank Field is used for hurling and football. The Merrion Court green might be okay for a bit of football with a few lads, but not for any training purposes. Hurling would be strictly banned in case of loose sliotars. Children would probably be told to go away.

The third green by Mayfield Park isn't too bad. Gets very mucky in bad weather. Also very hilly. Trained there a few times with Mayfield United and could never get used to it.

professore

TML91 wrote: »

The green area from your screenshot across from the Tank Field is all downhill. That definetly can not be used by children for playing, bar a tiny piece of green at the top of the hill. Plus its very close to the road.

The second one located in Merrion Court would be a big no-no. The Tank Field is used for hurling and football. The Merrion Court green might be okay for a bit of football with a few lads, but not for any training purposes. Hurling would be strictly banned in case of loose sliotars. Children would probably be told to go away.

The third green by Mayfield Park isn't too bad. Gets very mucky in bad weather. Also very hilly. Trained there a few times with Mayfield United and could never get used to it.

Sure, the point is that no-one has to look for alternatives as there will be plenty of space even if the school is built. Also several posters on here stated that the Tank Field was the only green area in the area which is simply untrue.

professore

See attachments. Apologies if they are not clear enough but is the best my scanner could do.

I will only say one thing: every paragraph of the residents comments implies there will be no more Tank Field or amenities after the school is built. This is wrong. That is all. Otherwise I think the article and the pictures speak for themselves.

professore

Here are some attachments that prove that the Gaelscoil Board Of Management has been trying for years to get a school built at an alternative site at Tinkers Cross with no success. It is also clear from this that other sites were also explored but rejected as unsuitable by the Dept. of Education. I will need to make a separate post for all the files as it only allows 5 attachments per post.

Thanks to Elaine Byrne's website for this. Strangely for someone so willing to disprove bias, I posted several queries some months ago on her feedback form and they were not published, whereas all comments supportive of her original article and the residents committee were published. I would be very surprised if I were the only one.

http://elaine.ie/2009/10/27/queries-relating-to-perceived-imbalance-and-perceived-inaccuracy-of-opinion-piece/

professore

Part 2 - see previous post for explanation

In the interim why not get some sugarsoap and do a job on the mouldy portocabin wall, bit of fablon on the roof and some sealant would do no harm.

TanG411

The scanned attachments do talk about the possibility of the site at Mayfield Cross. Thanks for uploading them.

Were you given any reason as to why it was stopped?