Negotiations are set to take place so that one Tuam primary school – without any playing facilities of consequence – can use pitches owned by three other primary schools, now under the one umbrella since their amalgamation.

As it stands, pupils of Tuam’s Educate Together have to walk over a mile and a half to access sporting facilities when there are other pitches on their doorstep.

Local Cllr Shaun Cunniffe said that no school should be left without access to playing facilities – and he welcomed anything that can be done to facilitate Tuam Educate Together.

A presentation by parents of Tuam’s Educate Together pupils, made to Tuam Municipal Councillors, called on the authorities to rectify the situation as it was not safe for pupils walking such a distance to access playing facilities.

Spokesperson for the parents Paula O’Connor says this is one of three main safety concerns that they have when it comes to the school access.

“Currently our children are walking over two kilometres to access sports facilities in the Tuam Stars Centre. While we are grateful for this, it is not safe on a very busy Dublin Road out of the town,” she said.

“Teachers are doing their best as they are carrying equipment and all the time trying to supervise the kids. It is not feasible.

“Additionally we don’t have access to our own hall so we are kindly facilitated by the family centre across the road. But again this involves the children traversing the Dublin Road being supervised.

“Also there are serious concerns about the entrance into the Tuam Educate Together centre, the parking that’s there and it is not safe for the kids. We need help from anybody that can provide it,” she added.

Having listened to the deputation, the councillors agreed that there were certain issues that they and the council engineering staff might be able to address.

Cllr Cunniffe said that the Department of Education was acting too slowly to provide facilities for all primary schools in the town.

This was putting pressure on the current situation in the area. It was proposed to that Galway County Council address the safety concerns raised by elected members.

Tuam Educate Together NS was established in September of 2015 and teaches the Learn Together Curriculum where children learn about the main world religions, ethics, empathy and responsible citizenship.

It is an equality-based, co-educational, democratically-run and child-centred national school based in Tuam. It is open to students of all backgrounds.

Pictured: Cllr Shaun Cunniffe (Ind).