This article is from page 12 of the 2006-12-05 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 12 JPG
THE long-awaited Ennistymon Community School looks set to face even more delay due to legal red-tape involving the transfer of lands from the Redress Board to the Department of Education.
The proposed school, which would see the amalgamation of Scoil Mhuire, the CBS and Ennistymon Vocational School, was first mooted more than two decades ago. It was officially announced by the Department of Education in September of last year and is due for completion in September of 2009.
A spokesperson from the Department of Education revealed that no further progress could be made on the school until the land was transferred from the Redress Board.
“The amalgamation is not taking place until the new building has been delivered,” said the spokesperson.
“Ennistymon is not yet included because the critical issue of a site is still outstanding. The department’s property management section is, however, in the process of acquiring a site under the terms of the Residential Institutional Redress Act 2002. The transfer of ownership of the site is currently being addressed.”
Local county councillor, Martin Conway (FG), has reacted angrily to the delay, describing it as “unacceptable” and “a classic case of footdragging”.
“This has been on the table for more than 20 years and it now looks like it will be another 10 before any progress is made. It is disgraceful and another example of the Government taking Clare for granted. North Clare and Ennistymon seems to be the poor cousin of Ennis, Shannon and Kilrush who have already got schools.”
The Redress Board was set up in 2002 under the Residential Institutions Redress Act to make fair and reasonable awards to persons who, as children, were abused while resident in industrial schools, reformatories and other institutions.
The board cherry-picked a number of Catholic Church-held properties to oversee their transfer to community organisation and individuals.
Other properties, such as those related to Project Ennistymon beside the proposed Community School, were transferred by mutual consent and for nominal fees from the Sisters of Mercy.