Calls For Centralised Greystones Schools Application System

The February GCC build protest… FRI23FEB24

atest press release from Deputy Jennifer Whitmore, issued on Wednesday, September 4th 2024…

Social Democrats TD for Wicklow, Jennifer Whitmore, has written to the Minister for Education urging her to consider Greystones as one of the ‘high-pressure’ areas that a new proposed centralised school entry plan will be trialled for the 2025 school year.

“I welcome the news that the Minister for Education and her department are planning to trial a new centralised admissions process for secondary schools in some high-pressure areas for the 2025 school year.

“It is encouraging that the department have recognised that a centralised school entry plan like this is needed in order to avoid the chaos that we saw in relation to secondary school places in Greystones this year,” commented Deputy Whitmore.

“With three weeks to go until enrolment opens for the 2025 school year, I have written to the Minister for Education asking for an update on how plans for this proposed trial are progressing and urging the Department of Education to consider including Greystones as one of the areas that this new process will be trialled,” added Ms Whitmore.

“We cannot see a repeat of this year’s school places crisis in Greystones again next year. The stress and worry that so many families and children went through over the lack of secondary school places is unacceptable.

“Some children only received their school places a week before the school term started, after a summer of not knowing if they’d be able to start secondary school with the rest of their friends,” explained Ms Whitmore, who is the Social Democrats spokesperson for Children.

“The schools in Greystones worked tirelessly last year to resolve the shortfall in school places and now it is time for the Department of Education to step up and find a solution to this annual problem and chaos surrounding secondary school applications.

“My office has already been contacted by local parents who are concerned about the 2025 enrolment process, and I believe that the inclusion of Greystones in this centralised school entry plan could help with their concerns.

“I will continue to work with and support parents and our local schools on this and other matters,” concluded Jennifer Whitmore.