New school for Kinvara

Date Published: 22-May-2007

The Govermnent yesterday stepped in to resolve one of the major issues in the General Election campaign in East Galway – it announced that a new second level school is to replace Seamount College, which was due to begin a closedown next September.

The Sisters of Mercy had announced that no new First Years would be taken in next Autumn and the school would close by 2012, sparking a local campaign of canvassing by parents, and an open campaign for hundreds of parents to vote against the Government.

But yesterday, Mr. Noel Treacy, T.D., Minister for European Affairs, confirmed, that a new state of the art Second-level School, would be built in Kinvara, to replace Seamount College.

Minister Treacy, who said he had been one of those central to the negotiations on the future of Second-level Education in Kinvara, said: “The Minister for Education, Ms. Mary Hanafin, T.D., has today sanctioned a new second level school for Kinvara, in order to ensure and guarantee the continuity of second level education in Kinvara and South Galway/North Clare.

“Sanction for the new School is subject to the Sisters of Mercy agreeing that Seamount College will remain open and fully operational and accepting first year Students each successive year, including the School Year ahead 2007/2008, up to and including the 2011/2012 School Year,” said Minister Treacy.