Cork schools told to consult on enrolment proposals

The trustees of Cork’s northside primary schools have been urged to consult properly before making any new proposals to deal with enrolment issues in the area.

There was a cautious welcome for Monday night’s decision of the Edmund Rice Schools Trust (ERST) not to proceed for now with the planned amalgamation of Scoil Mhuire Fatima at the North Monastery with nearby St Vincent’s primary at the convent school site. The plan, which was proposed by ERST and St Vincent’s trustees, the Religious Sisters of Charity, was overwhelmingly opposed by parents of pupils at both schools.

But ERST said on Monday it remains concerned with falling enrolments at the North Mon primary school — down from 250 to 170 since 2007 — and plans to agree with other local schools’ trustees how discussions should take place to deal with primary enrolment issues in the area. It told the Irish Examiner it wants any discussions to be as inclusive as possible, but it has already notified concerns about dropping numbers to the Department of Education.

Cork Lord Mayor and local councillor Catherine Clancy welcomed the withdrawal of the plans, but said parents and others must be included in future talks.

“Any long-term plans for schools in the northside, if they were to take place, I would say it should be an inclusive process. The question of enrolments and numbers could be an issue right across the community, and whatever the outcome, the continuation of the North Mon primary school on that site is paramount,” she said.

The shelved proposal had suggested that Gaelscoil Pheig Sayers, which currently operates from nearby Farranferris but in a different parish, would move into the vacated North Mon site. It will grow from 130 to 170 pupils next September, but the board said last month it has sufficient capacity for projected expansion over the coming years at the former St Finbarr’s College where it has been for the past year.

Cllr Tommy Gould, a North Mon past-pupil and Gaelscoil Pheig Sayers board member, said the withdrawal of the amalgamation plans was welcome.

“I am calling on ERST to allow it take in boys from junior infants to help secure student numbers and the school’s long-term future,” he said.

While this was previously suggested by Scoil Mhuire Fatima management, such a plan would have knock-on effects on St Vincent’s and North Presentation primary.