This article is from page 15 of the 2006-10-31 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 15 JPG
LOCAL councillors in Kinvara have warned the Sisters of Mercy that they will block any attempt by them to sell the grounds of Seamount College for commercial use.
In a joint statement, seven county councillors of the Loughrea electoral area last Friday stated that the Kinvara local area plan had now been adapted to designate Seamount College and its grounds for community use only.
The Sisters of Mercy announced earlier this month that they were to wind down the 80-year-old all girls school over the next three years.
While they have not yet announced any plans for the college and its grounds, one local auctioneer estimated that the area would be worth a minimum of €1million if sold as a commercial site.
“We believe that a need currently exists within Kinvara for a post-primary school. With the population increase forecast for Kinvara and its hinterland over the coming years, this need will become even more apparent in the near future,” read the statement.
“We have recently adapted the Kinvara Local Area plan in which we designated Seamount College and its grounds to be used solely for community facilities.”
Meanwhile, parents and teachers group RESCUE have stepped up their campaign to save the school. They are seeking an urgent meeting with the Minister for Education Mary Hanafin.
Each of the 243 pupils of the college posted hand written letters to the Sisters of Mercy head office in Ballinasloe last week begging for time to save the school.
“We have no idea what the Sisters of Mercy have in mind to do with the site and we have had no correspondence with them since the announcement,” said Jane Joyce of RESCUE.
“What we are trying to do now is to establish the education need for the minister, to show her that we can sustain a school in Kinvara. After that it is at the minister’s prerogative what she wants to do.”
RESCUE are also urging the Sisters of Mercy to re-appoint the school’s board of management who were not ratified by the Sisters at the start of the school year in September.