Michael Kitt (Fianna Fail)

I wish to share time with Senator Ulick Burke.

There was great shock in the Kinvara area on 12 October when the Mercy Order announced it was withdrawing as a provider of education in the Kinvara area and that it would close Seamount College, Kinvara. The order stated it would not take first year students in September 2007. Why have the trustees decided not to appoint a new board of management? Must the Department of Education and Science give permission to disband a board of management?

This matter was decided by the Mercy Order without consultation, an issue raised at a meeting with public representatives last Friday in Kinvara. That 243 girls are attending the school proves it is viable. If the Department believes the number of students is too low, I could give examples of schools in the constituency in which I reside with fewer students that still manage to cover a broad curriculum. St Cuan's College in Castleblakeney has 220 pupils. Some years ago sisters teaching there had to return to France but a lay school was able to function under the patronage of the bishop.

The Department may believe male students in the area are attending Gort community school. The capacity of that school is 600 but more than 730 students are now attending it and the school has to rent rooms from the VEC. Gort is some 12 miles from Kinvara. Calasanctius school in Oranmore is another one without further capacity.

There must be a school in Kinvara. I seek breathing space for the school, to allow enrolment to continue in September and for an alternative to the convent to be found. I cannot pre-empt what the local community may say but it is in shock at this decision. The Department did not know of this decision until 12 October and there was no consultation by the Mercy Order. Few girls from the area attend Gort community school and they wish to attend the local school, Seamount College. With breathing space we will be able to comply with the wishes of the parents and the community in Kinvara.