Dominick Donnelly

23^rd April 2009

Cllr. Dominick Donnelly, Green Party member of Passage West Town Council and candidate for Cork County Council for the Carrigaline electoral area, which includes Douglas, today congratulated St. Luke’s School in Douglas on the raising of their first Green Flag, for litter and waste management.  The flag was raised this morning by Green Party leader and Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, John Gormley.

The minister was welcomed to the school by the Principal Maire Roycroft and the Green School Co-ordinator of St. Luke’s, Norma Dennehy, and before the minister raised the flag, the children enacted a wonderful presentation, in which they explained the whole process of achieving their green flag.  The whole school then treated the minister to a wonderful rendition of their green school song, “I said no thanks, there’s too much rubbish for me”.  In congratulating the children on their achievement, the minister stressed how important protecting the environment is for the children, so that they can grow up to enjoy a healthy and vibrant planet.  The Minister encouraged the school to stay involved with the Green School programme, and to go on and achieve further green flags.

Cllr. Donnelly, who accompanied the minister on his visit, said: “The Green School programme is an excellent way to make the children aware how important our environment is to all our lives.  It is marvellous to see the children embrace the essential ideas of environmentalism with such vigour and enthusiasm.  The lessons they learn through the programme will stand to them all their lives.  It is so vital for our future on this planet that all our children learn these essential lessons and carry them with them through their lives.  All at St. Luke’s are to be congratulated for this initiative.”