Education Minister visits schools pressing for merger

The future of both primary and secondary education in Belturbet came into sharp relief last week with the visit of the newly installed Minister for Education, and now also Youth, Helen McEntee. The context is a myriad of pre-existing challenges - two national schools operating out of facilities with a combined age of 185 years, and a secondary school bouncing back from the brink but desperately in need of more space and a new sports hall.

She visited the Erneside town on Friday afternoon (March 28), having earlier spoke to delegates attending the annual convention for the Association of Community and Comprehensive Schools (ACCS) at the Slieve Russell Hotel in Ballyconnell.

Part of her morning speech was to big up the government’s record level of investment in new school infrastructure. In Cavan alone, the build and design bill tops €80 million, with more in the pipeline.

The positive impact is undeniable. However, there is a prevailing feeling that Belturbet has been sorely overlooked amid all the handshakes, ribbon-cuttings, and pats on the back.

‘Hazardous’

“Hazard” was a word used as the minister carefully navigated her high-heels down the Convent of Mercy’s historic polished stone staircase.

Her descent complete, Minister McEntee exited on to a tarmac yard with a prefab dating back to when the mum-of-two was still only a toddler.

Even entry to the Convent school requires scaling several flights of steps. There is one other entrance but that opens onto a busy main road and isn’t even wide enough to accommodate an emergency vehicle if required.

The Convent building was built in 1909, while St Mary’s Boys National School turns 70 next year.

All children start out at the Convent, with boys moving to St Mary’s BNS from second class onwards. They then progress on to secondary at St Bricin’s or elsewhere.

Meeting the minister were principals Aoibhínn O’Neill (Convent) and Laura Higgins (St Mary’s BNS); Malachy Molloy, facilitator appointed by the Bishop of Kilmore Martin Hayes to oversee the two-school amalgamation; as well as local TDs (Brendan Smith, Niamh Smyth, David Maxwell and Cathy Bennett) and councillors (Brendan Fay and Carmel Brady).

Complexities

Aside from the obvious bricks and mortar issues, the minister heard of complexities in continuity, with the Convent awarded Dhéis status school, while St Mary’s missed out, despite appeals.

The latter also lost a teacher for 2025 because enrolment was just one pupil short.

Then there are problems around traffic, parking and road safety, and the very pressing need to accommodate children living in the locality with additional needs.

At present, some families are having to send their children to schools outside the parish.

A technical report was carried out, and the two schools already have a new combined school site lined-up.

While the Department gave “initial approval” for an amalgamation, they stopped short of sanctioning the millions needed to deliver a long-term solution.

Where temporary accommodation is considered to address immediate capacity concerns, the worry is that this might, with time, be perceived as permanent.

Commitment

Malachy Molloy, a Corkman living in Carrick-on-Shannon, has overseen “quite a number” of school amalgamations in his time.

The “first priority” Mr Molloy says is to get a commitment, which he understands is being discussed at a “very high level”.

A new build could “take years” to deliver he acknowledges, but having that “absolute commitment” is key.

“They haven’t said no. It’s being discussed now at a very high level. The technical report on the two school sites, but especially [the Convent] was quite damning. Children shouldn’t still be learning in facilities like this in this day and age. If we could get an absolute commitment on a new school, we could move forward because there is no point in putting investment into what’s currently there.”

Secondary needs

Speaking to the Celt after she had attended both the Convent and St Mary’s, also making time to meet with St Bricin’s principal Jody Ó Gallchóir, the minister indicated that seeing the needs of the schools first-hand was crucial.

“I’ve just walked down steps that would challenge anybody on a difficult cold day but, to have children as well, I absolutely see the need. It’s just how do we progress what’s needed now, and then the longer term as well.”

There is, she explained, an “initial approval” for the two school amalgamation.

“I just really want to understand what that means and how do we make it work best.”

With regards to St Bricin’s which wants to purchase a neighbouring former farm site to extend the school’s footprint, the minister said: “The next step for them is making sure they can cater to everybody’s needs, and focus is on the PE hall, or community hall. That would not just benefit them but the whole community.

“The Department’s focus is making sure we have the school builds and the classrooms and, in so far as possible, the ancillary supports.

“I think I need to look at it, not just from a Department of Education perspective, but if it could benefit the entire community, how perhaps through a number of departments do we can make that happen? Because, what we’re trying to promote more in government is shared use of any facility the government invests in.”

Extension plans

She concluded by addressing proposals to extend Bailieborough Community College and St Aidan’s Comprehensive.

In Bailieborough planning approval was given last December for a new three-storey extension to house 10 general classrooms.

Though discussions continue to take place, movement in respect of similar plans for Cootehill has been slower.

The minister said she is aware of the needs for both.

“There isn’t a clear picture just yet,” she said of projected timelines or when plans might progress to the next phase.

“There is progress being made on both, but what the finish timeline is I don’t have that.”

Finally, Minister McEntee commented on the need for a three-storey extension at Milltown NS, given a three-fold increase in enrolment from 56 pupils in 2006 to 174 in today’s numbers. In that time too several extensions have been approved but have not been delivered, the most recent of these sanctioned in 2021.

Currently, some pupils are being taught in four modular buildings on site, and the school hall is also being used as a classroom.

Again, the minister said she is aware of the school’s plight.

“That’s been approved, not just what was the initial request, but also the expansion. Now there is additional SET, I think where we’re at is really engaging with the design team to get everything needed to go with the funding. It’s there, it’s been approved, and I was conscious of the project even before I was given this remit. So I’m keen to see it progressed.”