This article is from page 21 of the 2012-02-21 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 21 JPG
THE priest in one North Clare community last Sunday asked for prayers from the pulpit to protect the local primary school. That is according to Tubber-based county councillor, Michael Kelly (FF), who raised the matter of the threatened closure of a number of rural schools at last night’s meeting of Clare County Council.
While Cllr Kelly declined to identify the school mentioned or the priest who made the appeal, he did confirm that it was a school in the North Clare area.
“I had occasion over the weekend to listen to a parish priest ask the local people of the parish to pray that their school will be left open,” said Cllr Kelly.
“There is no good talking about this years and years down the line when these school are shut and people start coming back to some of these regional areas.”
According to East Clare councillor and school teacher Cathal Crowe (FF), the closure of rural schools will not save any money for the exchequer.
“When a school closes, the school principal of the closed school will continue to be paid a principle’s wage. The same amount of teachers will still have to be employed so the saving will be just be made on the building itself, which will be minimal,” said Cllr Crowe.
“We need our TDs to represent us on this. We don’t need them to be out there putting out soundbites and getting kicked out of the Dáil.”
It was also revealed at last night’s meeting of Clare County Council that at least one West Clare primary school will be remaining open, thanks to the efforts of Rural Resettlement Ireland.
West Clare Councillor Oliver Garry (FG) confirmed that Tullycrine National School has recently gained eight new students from three new families who have moved to the area as a result of the efforts of Rural Resettlement Ireland.
“It is the first thing that people look for when they are moving into an area. If the school is removed, then it is like removing the heart and soul of the community,” said Cllr Garry.
“Thanks to the great work of Jim Connolly and Rural Resettlement Ireland, there has been a major development for Tullycrine National School and three new families coming to the area have secured the future of that school.”