Education Support Centre Management Committee defends decision to move to Letterkenny

The Management Committee at the Donegal Education Support Centre says the decision to relocate from Donegal Town to Glenview Business Park in Letterkenny this spring was made following extensive consultation and collaboration with school leaders, teachers and staff.

They say a lengthy process, including the sending out of surveys to schools in all parts of the county, showed that was a strong desire for change.

The board says the move to Letterkenny will significantly enhance the Donegal Education Support Centre’s capacity to deliver high-quality face-to-face professional training and support for principals, teachers, and special needs assistants.

With 178 primary schools, 28 post-primary schools, and two special schools in Donegal, they say the relocation positions DESC to better meet the evolving needs of the educational community while fostering accessibility, deeper engagement, and collaboration with schools and other educational bodies across the county.

They add meetings have been held to provide opportunities for staff to express their views and concerns, and following discussions between the Management Committee and Fórsa, staff will be offered a hybrid working arrangement, which they say will provide flexibility that will balance operational needs with individual circumstances.

The statement concludes that the decision to relocate was not made lightly, and while change can be challenging, the Management Committee firmly believes this move is in the best interests of the broader educational community.

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Statement in full –

The Donegal Education Support Centre (DESC) is relocating to Glenview Business Park in Letterkenny this spring and has approval from the Department of Education. This move will make the Centre more accessible and centrally located for teachers from all corners of Donegal—North, South, East, and West—ensuring equal access for everyone. Accessibility was a key factor in this decision, and relocating to Letterkenny addresses these concerns, providing equitable access to training and support services for educators across the county. As an education support centre for all of Donegal, every teacher deserves an equal opportunity for professional development, enabling them to deliver the highest quality education to every child.

The decision was made following extensive consultation and collaboration with school leaders, teachers and staff.  To gather data, surveys were sent out to schools in all parts of Donegal in February 202 and there was also consultation with many of our stakeholders, which took place over a few months. Arising from this, was a strong desire for change.

The move to Letterkenny will significantly enhance DESC’s capacity to deliver high-quality face-to-face professional training and support for principals, teachers, and special needs assistants (SNAs). With 178 primary schools, 28 post-primary schools, and two special schools in Donegal, the relocation positions DESC to better meet the evolving needs of the educational community while fostering accessibility, deeper engagement, and collaboration with schools and other educational bodies across the county.

Meetings have been held to provide opportunities for staff to express their views and concerns. The Management Committee has worked with staff and their representative body, Fórsa, and as a result staff will be offered a hybrid working arrangement with flexibility that will balance operational needs with individual circumstances

The DESC Management Committee is made up of 13 people consisting of Principals, Deputy Principals, teachers, retired teachers and teachers on support services and they represent all the municipal districts in Donegal. Contrary to what was said on radio, two members live in Letterkenny with the remaining members coming from West Donegal, Inishowen, Milford, the Finn Valley area and Donegal Town. These volunteers have dedicated their time and effort for many years to ensure that educators across the county have access to high-quality courses and resources. Their commitment reflects a shared mission: to support every child in Donegal in receiving the highest standard of education, regardless of location.

The decision to relocate was not made lightly. While change can be challenging, the Management Committee firmly believes this move is in the best interests of the broader educational community. This relocation represents a vital step in fulfilling DESC’s mission to serve ALL teachers, school leaders, and learners across Donegal, from South Donegal to Inishowen and from West to East. We are confident that this transition will strengthen DESC’s ability to support the educational community effectively for years to come.

 

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