Admissions row school gets interim manager

A manager has been appointed to a leading all-Irish secondary school following the dissolution of its board of management after a public row over admissions policy.

The department of education has confirmed that the minister Ruairí Quinn consented to the dissolution of the board of Gaelcholáiste Mhuire AG, at the North Monastery, following a request from the school’s trustees, The Edmund Rice Schools Trust, in April.

The trust’s decision to seek the dissolution of the board was taken after a series of resignations of members. It is understood the board members felt they could not fulfil the board’s obligations under the Education Act 1998 and the Charter of the Edmund Rice Schools Trust.

The dissolution, under the provisions of Section 16 of the Education Act 1998, took effect within the last month.

The manager, Pat Keating, has now been appointed to manage the school until Nov 13.

“The Edmund Rice Schools Trust has every confidence that Mr Keating will manage the school effectively,” Gerry Bennett, chief executive of the Edmund Rice Schools Trust said.

“Mr Keating is working with all partners in the school community to create the conditions necessary to re-instate a new board of management as soon as possible.”

A spokesperson for the department of education said it does not comment on individual cases.

But she did confirm that the minister recently consented, in accordance with the provisions of the Education Act 1998, to the patron’s proposal to dissolve the board of the school and to appoint a single manager in its place.

Gaelcholáiste Mhuire, which moved to its new school building in 2002, has seen a surge in demand for student places in recent years, beyond the level approved by the school trustees.

The school had taken in three first-year classes in three out of the last four years.

Last May, the board decided again to approve a three- class intake this September in tandem with advancing plans for an extension to cater for the increased numbers.

But the trust said accepting the extra numbers was premature until certain outstanding issues were addressed.

The board then decided to restricted admission to two classes — a decision which prompted about 30 appeals from parents of students who had, as a result, been refused a school place.

The board then sought legal advice on its admissions policy which resulted in the board deciding not to contest the appeals.

This triggered the resignations from the board, which in turn resulted in the trust’s request to dissolve the board.

It is understood that Mr Keating is now working with the school principal to address a range of issues, including the school’s admission policy, before a new board is appointed later this year.