Sinn Féin TD for Dublin South West Seán Crowe has said that he is outraged that the management of Sacred Heart JNS, Killinarden feel they have no choice but to close their doors on 1 April and go to online teaching because their capitation funding has run out and they cannot even keep the lights on after that date.

Teachta Crowe said that this government has proven incapable of managing public services and that from our schools to our hospitals to our public transport, there are failings affecting workers and families in every aspect of their lives.

Teachta Crowe said:

“At an emergency meeting called by the management of Sacred Heart Junior National School this morning, public representatives were told by school management in no uncertain terms that the school may be forced to close its doors on 1 April and go to online teaching.

“The reason is simple. The meagre allocation of funding to the school through the capitation grant from the Department of Education has run out. This means they will be unable to even keep the lights on.

“This government has proven incapable of managing public services and that from our schools to our hospitals to our public transport, there are failings affecting workers and families in every aspect of their lives.

“For a school to feel forced to close their doors in April is simply outrageous. The Minister must step in and guarantee funding until the end of the school year. I have written to the Minister today to ask that this is done. Anything else is simply unacceptable to the pupils, their parents, and their teachers.

“Sinn Féin had proposed a 20% increase in the capitation grant last year to deal with the soaring cost of living to avoid just this situation. The Government decided to increase the grant by only about half that and not until September 2025. Now, we see the consequences of them dragging their feet.”