Department ‘reneging’ on promise to open playing pitches at East Cork schools

The Department of Education is refusing to open up playing pitches at the country’s largest school campus, because they claim the pitches are in a vulnerable flood plain, even though not a puddle has been seen on the land during one of the wettest periods in recent history.

More than two years after approximately 1,500 students moved into the three-school campus in Carrigtwohill, they still haven’t been able to kick a ball.

That’s despite the department being obliged to construct the pitches as part of planning conditions laid down by Cork County Council.

The local authority wrote to the department, insisting that it open up the pitches, after angry councillors highlighted the issue.

The councillors said it was extremely unfair on the students and that the situation flew in the face of a sporting and healthy lifestyle.

Negative reply

The authority received a negative reply from the department, which again said that the flood plain prevented the opening of the pitches.

Carrigtwohill-based Fine Gael councillor Anthony Barry, who owns a farm close to the school, said the excuse offered by the department was “absolutely ridiculous.”

“With all the wet weather we’ve been having in recent months, there still wasn’t a drop of water to be seen in the field designated for the pitches,” Mr Barry said.

“So, I can’t see the excuse. Anyway, if there was a big flood there it would be gone in a couple of days, and the students could use the pitches again, if they had them.”

Mr Barry said the department had reneged on its commitment and he believes that Hildegarde Naughton, the youth and education minister, hasn’t been informed by her officials of the real situation.

He said that he could never remember the 3.5 acres earmarked for the pitches being flooded. They didn’t even flood during Storm Babet in October 2023, he said. Then, damage worth multi-millions of euro was caused to properties all over East Cork.

Planning obligations

The council is again writing to the Department of Education, pointing out its planning obligations, along with Mr Barry’s local knowledge, and urging it to rectify the situation.

In the meantime, Mr Barry said that he would also be seeking a personal meeting with Ms Naughton to press her to overrule her officials and open up the much-needed pitches, adding he “hopes she shows some sense” on the issue.

“It’s been most frustrating for the parents’ committee and board members involved in the long process of planning, fundraising, and bringing the campus to fruition to not have this green open area available to the campus,” Fianna Fail councillor Sheila O’Callaghan said.