This article is from page 4 of the 2006-10-17 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 4 JPG
THE CATCHMENT areas for schools have not been reviewed in almost 40 years, it has been revealed.
The last review of catchment areas for schools and school transport was carried out in 1969, according to Clare Green Party Councillor Brian Meaney.
The councillor is calling for an immediate review, on the basis that there have been huge demographic shifts shown in six census results since the last time school boundaries were looked at.
“Ireland has seen significant changes in the distribution of population and in educational practices since then,” Cllr Meaney said. “Our society has become increasingly urban and new systems of education such as multi-denominational schools have been added to the mix. In the face of such dramatic change, a review of catchment areas and boundaries is long overdue.”
The councillor said that the situation had led to anomalies that resulted in some children not being able to go to school in their own villages because they were still being subsumed into large urban areas such as Ennis.
Cllr Meaney said that, despite numerous reports to the Education and Science Committee clearly recommending that the catchment areas be reviewed, “nothing has been done”.
“Why can’t a review be carried out? The Minister for State with responsibility for school transport, Síle de Valera TD, told members of the Joint Committee on Education and Science last year that a review of catchment boundaries may be appropriate in certain circumstances. Let’s carry out the review as a matter of urgency and debate the recommendations later,” the councillor said.
The councillor said that the system, “needs to be brought into the 21st century. Parents now have more choices as to what type of education they want for their child.”
Councillor Meaney said that the widespread social and demographic changes that had taken place since the last review were further reflected in the preliminary figures from the 2006 Census.
This was the sixth census since the last review of boundaries was undertaken back in the late 1960s, the councillor added.
Cllr Meaney was to ask last night’s meeting of Clare County Council to call on the Minister for Education and Science, Mary Hanafin, and her department officials to undertake a nationwide review of the boundaries.
But the meeting was adjourned before the Green Party councillor’s motion was reached. It will now come before the next meeting of council for debate and a vote.