Education Minister pressed on plans for St Bricin's

An application was lodged with the Department of Education recently.

Additional accommodation is needed at Belturbet’s St Bricin’s College according to local TD Brendan Smith.

Raising the issue with the Education Minister, he queried when an application from the school for extra classroom space would be dealt with.

In response to the parliamentary question, Education Minister Norma Foley confirmed the application had been received under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme.

The ASA ensures there is enough classroom capacity, both mainstream and Special Education Needs, available to cater for pupils enrolled each year.

The Minister said officials in the Department have had “recent engagement with the school patron in respect of this application and formal confirmation of the decision on the application will issue to the patron shortly”.

Deputy Smith says he’s anxious to see the application progressed:

“Since the Dáil reply I have renewed my request to the Minister for Education to have this application finalised without delay”, he told the Celt.

St Bricin’s would be closed under plans from CMETB which would see the amalgamating of it and St Mogue’s College in Bawnboy into a new school in Ballyconnell.

The organisation says the plans would safeguard the future of second level education in west Cavan but have been met with criticism from some in the local community.