This article is from page 6 of the 2009-04-07 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 6 JPG
SEAMOUNT College in Kinvara is at the centre of a row which threat- ens to cause a Serious split in the Fine Gael party.
According to insider reports at the party national Ard Fheis in Dublin this weekend, an argument relating to promises made by party leader Enda Kenny in relation to the school, as well as the surprise announcement that former Progressive Democrat leader Ciaran Cannon would be join- ing the party, are at the centre of the spat.
The argument is reported to have started during a parliamentary party meeting which took place in Dublin last Tuesday, March 1. During the meeting, party leader Enda Kenny is reported to have exchanged heated words with south Galway TD Ulick Burke.
According to party insiders, Burke was unhappy with Cannon – who is currently a senator – being effective- ly announced as his running mate in the constituency for the next elec- tion without him being warned in BYORI DaGor
According to reports, the party leader is said to have become very angry when confronted by Deputy Burke and said he had “gone out on a {***ing limb for you” in the past.
The limb that the party leader was referring to was his personal backing for a campaign for the construction of a new school in Kinvara to replace
Seamount College, ahead of the last general election.
The party’s backing for the group to save Seamount College was one of the main issues in the south Gal- way area ahead of the last election and is credited with helping Burke, as well as party colleague Paul Con- naughton, get elected.
With the future of Seamount Col- lege still in doubt, the argument is likely to re-surface over the coming weeks and months.
Following an announcement in Jan- uary that the proposed new school in
Kinvara would be delayed as a result of the slowdown in the economy, the Sisters of Mercy, who own the land on which the school is built, threat- ened to pull the plug on their current deal with the Department of Agricul- Ub Ken
However, the religious Order has agreed to lease the land to the gov- ernment and is currently in discus- sions with the Department of Edu- cation on a number of outstanding conditions.
Meanwhile, Clare is now the most represented county on the National
Executive of the Fine Gael party, fol- lowing the successful election of Cllr Martin Conway and Leonora Carey, sister of Clare TD Joe Carey, to the national forum at the weekend’s Fine Gael Ard Fheis.