SCHOOLS in rural areas of County Limerick are being told not to apply for CLÁR funding for small infrastructural projects over fear of risks, it has been alleged.
Fine Gael councillor John Sheahan told this month’s Newcastle West district meeting that the St Senan’s Education Office has written to primary schools in the CLÁR funding areas of County Limerick, advising them not to apply for works funding.
Serving the patrons and boards of management of Catholic primary schools in the Catholic Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly and the Dioceses of Limerick, Kerry, and Killaloe, St Senan’s is under the patronage of Bishop Brendan Leahy locally.
Cllr John Sheahan told the meeting that “primary schools have received a letter from St Senan’s … stating that schools should no longer apply for CLÁR funding. This funding has done an enormous amount of work for rural schools, but they don’t want any more risk in their schools, from what I understand, and this is a directive from the Bishop’s committee in St Senan’s.”
The Fine Gael man said the move “ties their hands as councillors”. CLÁR funding, he continued, is the only avenue open for funding small projects in rural schools in County Limerick.
“They have their heads stuck in the mud in relation to what their responsibilities are to primary schools. They are trying to limit the risks. If you put in extra projects in a school they believe you are increasing the risks – that’s my reading of it. I think this is absolutely ridiculous,” Cllr Sheahan fumed.
He suggested that some CLÁR funded schools would be better off represented by Educate Together rather than St Senan’s.