Second Cork school opposes North Mon merger

Parents at the second of two Cork city primary schools proposed for amalgamation have voted unanimously against the move.

The decision of last night’s meeting at all-boys Scoil Mhuire Fatima North Monastery follows a similar decision at the weekend by a parents’ meeting in the neighbouring St Vincent’s primary school on the city’s northside.

Both schools were the subject of last week’s announcement that their trustees want to close the North Mon school and amalgamate the two on the St Vincent’s site next September. The convent girls’ school currently teaches boys up to first class, before most go on to Scoil Mhuire Fatima.

In addition, it is planned that North Presentation primary, which also teaches boys up to first class only, would become entirely co-educational on a phased basis.

More than 300 people attended last night’s public meeting of the Scoil Mhuire Fatima parents’ association, which has more than 2,100 names on a petition opposing the plan.

More than 300 parents, teachers, pupils & past pupils clearly against the closure of the North Mon school. pic.twitter.com/PwuDxG5wtR

— Alan Healy (@AlanHealy) February 17, 2014

“I’m really concerned if we have to go down to St Vincent’s what facilities are down there; absolutely nothing,” said the mother of a third-class boy. “We’re talking about overcrowding, and health and safety issues, and I suggest we increase numbers in the Mon by allowing in juniors, senior infants, and first class.”

Georgina Kelly, who has a son in Scoil Mhuire Fatima and one who is a past pupil, said she had hoped to send another son there from North Pres in September.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do,” she said. “I think many boys aren’t going to go down to St Vincent’s, they’re used to being with boys all the way up.”

A packed meeting to discuss controversial closure / transfer of North Mon Primary School. Strong resistance pic.twitter.com/9Sz6rTkPen

— PJ Coogan (@pjcoogan) February 17, 2014

The trustees of the three schools want to hear the schools’ responses by March 7. The board of the North Mon boys’ primary school strongly opposes the plan and chairman Barry O’Connor said the Edmund Rice Schools Trust, which owns the North Mon, is treating it as a piece of real estate.

The ultimate decision rests with the patron of all four schools, Catholic Bishop of Cork & Ross John Buckley, with the approval of Education Minister Ruairi Quinn needed for any amalgamation. Fr Ted Sheehan, a priest of the North Cathedral parish, said what the trustees are trying to do is wrong and he completely disagrees with the plan.

The plan also involves the proposed relocation of Gaelscoil Pheig Sayers to the vacated North Mon primary site, but gaelscoil board chairman Pat Kinsella said its response will be informed mainly by the views of parents.

“Our parents’ association is concerned that it might be perceived that this school sought a move to the North Mon, but we had no involvement in the proposal,” he said.

Mr Kinsella said the school has enough space at its location in nearby Farranferris, even with pupil numbers rising from 130 to 170 in September. A questionnaire has been sent out to ask gaelscoil parents if they support the plan, ahead of a meeting next Tuesday.

Saturday’s meeting of parents of St Vincent’s pupils voted against the proposal as concerns were raised about a lack of facilities for the extra 170 pupils who would move over from the boys’ school.