Meath Live was approached by a number of concerned residents in the locality of Ashbourne and surrounds who are highly critical of a fund set up by the daa to benefit some local schools. While understanding financial needs all schools face, they questioned the choice of children being used to favour public opinion. It is their opinion that the use of the Elevate’25 School project is a goodwill exercise that fosters community relations but questions the ethics of ”using children”.
These concerned parents draw attention to some of the conditions of acceptance with regard to the grant applications that state ”Successful applicants agree to provide a testimonial in relation to the positive impact of daa (Dublin Airport Authority)/Dublin Airport’s support”. The conditions also state they can use as ”promotional material” on social media and ”may appear in external media, as required.” There are 40 schools that will benefit from the €2m fund but is it fair to use children to win public favour ask the parents.
The terms also set out that applicants agree to partake in ”photo/video shoots” which again could be shared on social media, promotional and media and the daa websites as may be needed. The Minister for Education and Youth Hildegarde Naughton, pictured above, was contacted for comment by a parent. She was asked if it is appropriate to allow schools and children that are in the flight paths to be used in this manner for advertising and promotional material. Also pointing out the damage to health that is being caused and the disruption and difficulty in dealing with the noise pollution caused by the planes. They are still awaiting a reply other than the message was noted.
Last year the daa launched a two million fund, the project named Elevate ’25. Inviting local schools in the Dublin Airport catchment area to apply for grants under a number of categories. This was a once off initiative to celebrate Dublin Airports 85th anniversary. Funding of €2m was available to all the schools that applied subject to various conditions. The concept is to help and support the local community with funding schools both primary and secondary. In late November of last year a large turnout of children, teachers and members of board of management of schools, together with a number of local politicians who attended the event announcing successful applicants.
The parents that contacted Meath Live accept the importance Dublin Airport brings to the local communities and the economic benefits that accrue. However, they point out that unless you live under the daily pressure of noise pollution of these flight paths, no one really appreciates the effects on health and lifestyle. These families have to live where they are. Then they see promotions like this and it gets to them.
They also point out to us when flights fly over their children’s school that teachers stop teaching as the noise of the planes are so loud. Their children tell them when they get home, what has happened at school. It tells you what they have to deal with and here we are using their funding to say all is good and well. We were told its only when you live in the area where these flight paths are being allowed to fly that you then you only understand their predicament. We are also in a process that the government is planning to remove the cap on numbers flying into Dublin with the local authority no longer dealing with the planning issues on daa. What will the future hold for our children and us, they wonder?
