Classes start at fee-paying school with no home

Classes began for some students at a fee-paying school in Cork yesterday as efforts to resolve its accommodation crisis continued.

Scoil Mhuire notified parents of its 400 all-girls student body last week that it had to move all classes to an industrial estate about 3km away in Blackpool.

A building in temporary use for 100 students near the school’s city centre base at Sidney Place on Wellington Rd became unavailable in the summer and difficulty finding a nearby alternative during ongoing renovations of one of the school’s three buildings meant the move was unavoidable.

Following anger among parents about the short notice and likely inconveniences, school management began further efforts before the weekend to locate a suitable premises nearby.

While those efforts were continuing yesterday, with a solution understood to be close, the return of students began as scheduled.

“It’s been business as usual. We had second and fifth years in today and the staggered return of students will continue,” said principal Regina Moran.

“We remain fervently hopeful that the school will keep running from Sidney Place.”

Parents will meet at the Silversprings Hotel tonight to discuss the situation. Representatives of the school’s parents’ council have been meeting with management in recent days, offering assistance and suggestions on alternatives to the proposed move to Blackpool.

Scoil Mhuire charges fees of €3,300 a year, while the neighbouring junior school it also supports has about 100 pupils.

One of the three buildings in use by the secondary school is undergoing refurbishment and a nearby house was being used to accommodate classes for 100 girls during the works, which began in March. They are set to continue until after Easter or possibly the summer holidays.