Leitrim councillor calls for more centralised approach to decisions on school closures

Leitrim Councillor James Gilmartin has called for a move to department-led decisions around school closures due to snow and other dangerous weather conditions.

The call came amid a number of Leitrim schools closing their doors today due to snow and ice and a yellow weather warning that is in place until 9am tomorrow.

“I mean, something needs to change. Principals and supports and management are being put in impossible situations,” he told Ocean FM.

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At the moment, the decision to open or close schools on snow days is left to principals in the main, unless a government mandate comes down from the department.

A number of schools in Leitrim made the decision to close today including Glenfarne NS, Drumkeeran NS, Drumlease NS, St Brigid’s NS, St Joseph’s NS, St Clare’s Comprehensive School, Lough Allen College, Drumshanbo Vocational School, and Mohill Community College.

Gilmartin believes this approach needs to change.

“I mean, if you look at the north of Ireland, the education authority there gives direct instructions to the schools that all schools follow a particular course of action and that takes responsibility off the schools because let’s face it, it is very concerning as a principal — you may open a school and something hazardous could happen.”

“What we need is a centralised directive coming from the Department of Education that when we have these warnings, something follows suit and that removes any ambiguity and people know where they stand.”

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He says that no one wants to see schools close, citing the difficulty it can cause to parents, but he highlights the need for safety concerns to come into play.

“There are certain hierarchies at play here, and safety will always have to come first, so we are not talking about a bit of snow or a bit of wind — we are talking about pretty serious events that are deemed pretty serious by the department, by Met Éireann.”