Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)

Mercy Secondary School, Mounthawk, Tralee, is the largest voluntary secondary school in the country with just under 1,200 pupils. It was opened in 2001, a result of the amalgamation of Moyderwell and Balloonagh secondary schools as a CEIST school. It has proved to be very successful.

Unfortunately, it was originally built to accommodate 900 pupils when its first enrolment was 1,200. From day one it had to get prefabs for accommodation that still remain on the site. The school has a staff complement of 100, including special needs assistants. It achieves high academic standards and teaches subjects across the curriculum spectrum. It is co-educational with a 50:50 split. The teachers there are very energetic and well-motivated. I must declare an interest as my wife is a teacher there, as well as Deputy McEllistrim's sister.

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