Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Mercy Order And Department Discuss Seamount College Lease

Minister of State Tony Killeen has welcomed the news that the Trustees of Seamount College in Kinvara have agreed in principle to lease the school to the Department of Education and Science.

Minister Killeen explained that the move would help the Department to source a suitable site for the proposed new co-educational post primary school for up to 800 students in North Clare and South Galway. The North Clare T.D. said, “I am delighted that the Mercy Order has agreed in principle to the lease as I, along with my colleague Minister of State Noel Treacy, have long supported such a move.”

He continued, “Minister for Education, Batt O’Keeffe T.D. has confirmed that the Trustees of Seamount College have agreed in principle to lease the school to his Department subject to a number of conditions. The Minister has now instructed his officials to liaise with the Mercy Order as a matter of urgency with a view to drafting and executing the lease as soon as possible,” he added.

Minister Killeen noted that the Mercy Order’s decision to lease the school was a significant step forward in the development of second level education in Kinvara and surrounding areas. He said that the Department would continue its efforts to identify and acquire a permanent site for the proposed new co-educational secondary school.

According to Minister Killeen, “In light of increases in population in the South Galway area, the Department of Education and Science has determined that a new post primary school is required in the northern environs of Kinvara.” He commented, “It has been proposed that this school should cater for the Kinvara catchment area including traditional areas of North Clare, Ballinderreen and Kilcolgan, and should also cater for students from Clarinbridge and Oranmore for whom it may not be possible to make provision at St. Calasanctius Secondary School, Oranmore.”

The Minister started that the new school would be required for the 2012/13 school year, to coincide with the closure of Seamount College.