DONEGAL TD Pearse Doherty said that the government is failing rural communities with the potential closure of Fintra National School.
He said that the possible closure must act as a wake-up call for government and that immediate intervention must happen.
Deputy Doherty added that this would be the third rural school in Donegal to close in the past year if it goes ahead, and that it pointed to a clear and ongoing failure to support rural communities.
“These closures do not happen overnight. They are the result of years of government neglect of rural areas and the growing imbalance between urban and rural Ireland.
“Rural communities like those in Donegal are being left behind when it comes to jobs, access to healthcare and critical infrastructure. That inevitably impacts school numbers.
“This creates a vicious cycle – services are withdrawn because populations fall, and populations fall because services are withdrawn. That cycle must be broken.”
The Donegal TD said protecting rural schools like Fintra NS requires more than last minute reaction.
He called for a coordinated approach across government to invest in rural Ireland, to create jobs, to improve healthcare access and to deliver the infrastructure that communities need to thrive.
“Sinn Féin is firmly opposed to the closure of rural schools. We believe schools must be supported to remain open, not judged solely on narrow enrolment figures that ignore their central role in community life.
“I have submitted a parliamentary question to the Minister for Education asking her to urgently engage with the school community in Fintra in an effort to secure the future of the school.
“Fintra National School is at the heart of its community. With the right intervention and the right policies, it can and should remain so for generations to come,” he said.