Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

The Senator may be interested in what I have to say, but I fear I do not bring him very good news. I welcome the opportunity to outline to the House the position regarding St. Brigid's secondary school, Goresbridge, County Kilkenny.

St. Brigid's secondary school was built in 1825 and is owned by the Brigidine Order who ran it as a girls' boarding school until 1978. At that time, the nuns withdrew and the school was taken over by a local board of trustees and a local board of management who leased the buildings from the nuns and ran the school as a co-educational voluntary school. In April 1998, the board of management decided to phase out the operation of the school. The board's decision was strongly resisted locally and a community action group was set up to save the school. In June 1998, the board of management notified the Department of Education and Science that it had reversed its decision to close the school. Subsequently, in 2001, a group representing the various school interests made a proposal to the Department of Education and Science in which approval was sought for the implementation of various measures which it was considered would result in the development of St Brigid's as a viable school into the future.

Following a thorough examination of the issues involved, including submissions to retain the school under the trusteeship of the VEC, the Minister for Education and Science has concluded that the major capital investment needed to sustain a school of this size cannot be justified. Since 1995 enrolments at the school have remained steady at a figure of approximately 130. The school has a current enrolment of 129 pupils and a long-term projected enrolment of approximately 125 pupils. This is an optimistic assessment in that it assumes full student retention through junior and senior cycles and 75% of all fourth year pupils taking the transition year option. It is also based on a pattern of enrolment where in excess of 60% of the total first year intake comes from outside the catchment area.

As part of its strategy to increase enrolments, the interest group representing the school has sought adjustments to existing catchment boundaries and current transport arrangements. Any attempt to alter existing arrangements would be likely to provoke strong opposition from other providers in the area. It could also be argued that this strategy for increasing enrolments could be viewed as verification of the school's non-viability for the future. Even with the interventions mentioned, there will not be a sufficient base to justify major refurbishment or a new building. Consequently, the view of the Minister and the Department of Education and Science is that educational provision should be phased out over a two year period, with final closure in June 2005. The Minister has advised the owners and trustees in this regard. To facilitate an orderly closure, the school authorities are not accepting a first year intake in September 2003.