Information - Schools United Rally, Saturday 6th December 2008
04/12/2025

1. Schools United   

A generic banner: Schools United will lead the march and this banner will also decorate the platform in Merrion Square.

 The first group of marchers (500 immediately behind the banner Schools United) will also carry Schools United Against Cuts placards. Thereafter, individuals can fall into  the march carrying their own union/school banner etc. However, the Schools  United element at the beginning of the march is important. We do not want the rally to be seen as a teachers rally but a rally representative of the entire school/college community.

2. Route & Time

The assembly point for the rally is Parnell Square North (Gallery side). The march will proceed down Parnell Square East, OConnell Street, DOlier Street, Nassau Street, Leinster Street, Clare Street, Merrion Square West and Merrion Square South.

Marchers are asked to assemble from 12 oclock onwards. The march will leave at 1pm.

3. Meetings with Garda

We have had a number of meetings with the Garda in relation to arrangements for the march. To deal with the anticipated large turnout, the Garda will be putting a major traffic management plan into operation which will involve street closures and re-routing of certain bus routes. Access to some city centre car parks will be subject to some restrictions and disruption. City centre businesses are extremely unhappy that such a major rally is to take place on what is for them, a key shopping Saturday prior to Christmas.
 
The Garda have sought our co-operation on a number of matters in an effort to minimise the disruption of traffic and to facilitate the business community. Needless, to say, the unions are extremely anxious to co-operate in every respect possible. I this context, I would appreciate your attention to the following:-

 Marchers are encouraged to arrive by public transport if possible;
 People travelling by private coach/bus are advised that buses will not be allowed to stop on Parnell Square to disembark passengers coaches arriving with marchers will be directed to Western Way (behind The Black Church) to disembark passengers. Please advise your bus driver accordingly. (Western Way is 5 minutes walk from Parnell Square North and links Dorset Street Upper with Constitution Hill / Phibsborough Road).
 The Garda will facilitate the parking of coaches on Western Way and Mountjoy Square on the northside of the city and at Merrion Square East and Fitzwilliam Street on the southside of the city. Coaches approaching from the northside will ideally find a parking location on the northside (Western Way / Mountjoy Square) whereas coaches approaching from the south and returning to the south will ideally use the parking identified at Merrion Square / Fitzwilliam Street.
 It would be helpful to the Garda and the business community, if coaches did not arrive immediately prior to the commencement of the rally and depart immediately at the conclusion of the rally. It would therefore be extremely helpful if some coaches could arrive early in the morning, this would facilitate a traffic management plan and also allow the marchers to visit the city centre for shopping/refreshment. Similarly, when the march is concluded, it would be helpful if the coaches were to disperse over a period of time rather than to leave the city immediately.
 The Garda have also sought our co-operation in directing some marchers directly to Merrion Square to hear the speeches.

4. Stewards

150 Stewards (circa) from the INTO, TUI and ASTI will be on duty. Their key duties will be to steward
 (i) the assembly of the rally at Parnell Square
 (ii) the arrival point in Merrion Square
(iii) to facilitate the march moving through the streets without any undue delay; and
(iv) to assist with the collection of placards at the end of the rally.

It is important to emphasise that traffic management is solely a matter for the Garda and instructions at street junctions or otherwise if required, can only be given by the Garda.

A SEPARATE MEMO WILL ISSUE TO STEWARDS

5. Placards

 Ideally, many people will arrive with their own placards with the name of their own school / town / branch, etc. However, several thousand placards will be prepared for the rally. We will ask the stewards to leave bundles of these placards at the various access points to Parnell Square for collection / distribution to marchers.

Placards should be left in Merrion Square at the end of the rally for collection and recycling.

6. Speeches

 The podium / platform will be located on Merrion square South. Speakers will include INTO, ASTI, TUI, IFUT, NPC, School Management and ICTU. If the anticipated numbers materialise, it is likely that many participants will not hear the speeches due to distance from the stage. (though a sophisticated sound system will be installed) It would be helpful if participants knew in advance that it may be difficult to get access to Merrion Square.

4th  December 2008.

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