Parents of children attending The Glebe Primary Montessori School in Celbridge, Co. Kildare are angry because "the Government is still refusing to provide either building or capitation funding for the school after thirty years of negotiations". 

Parents say "the prefabs currently used are so old and dilapidated that they may not last the winter, but The Glebe's Board of Management has been told by the Department of Education that Montessori primary schools are not recognised as eligible for funding. This is despite the fact that since it was founded 30 years ago, the school has repeatedly passed the National Welfare Board's assessment, and teaches the full national curriculum in a unique and supportive environment". 

Senator Norris visited The Glebe on November 7, as part of the school's 30th anniversary celebrations.

"The simple fact of this case is that Montessori primary school teachers are being discriminated against. The Department of Education guidelines allow Montessori trained primary teachers to provide home schooling to sick children, work as relief teachers in mainstream primary schools and work as special needs assistants. However, the Department will not recognise the exact same teachers as full-time primary teachers.  What this means is that while Montessori crèches and pre-schools receive Government funding, the Department of Education refuses to fund Montessori primary schools, despite the fact that the Montessori method is an internationally recognised teaching methodology," Mr Norris said.

There are currently only four Montessori primary schools in the country and to date none of them has received “a cent of Government funding”.

The principal of The Glebe, Marie Hoffman, said the Board of Management could not possibly raise the money required to provide suitable school accommodation without securing Government funding.

"We cannot understand how the Department of Education can justify withholding funding from Montessori primary schools, particularly when one considers the fact that if the Montessori primary schools close down, the Department will then have to find and pay for places in mainstream school for all the children affected. We are not looking for any more or less than a mainstream school receives from the Government," Ms Hoffman said.