All Galway West TDs must work together to ensure that the new school for Claregalway can be opened in September 2011.
This is the view of Independent Galway West TD Noel Grealish, who was speaking following confirmation from the Department of Education that it could be 2012 before the new secondary school for Claregalway is open.
“We need to all work together to try to bring this date forward to 2011,” said Dep Grealish. “A list of new schools will be issued by the Department in December and it is imperative Claregalway is high on that list to ensure that we have a realistic chance of progressing the project.”
Fine Gael TD Pádraic McCormack said he will be conveying to the Minister of Education Mary Hanafin that Claregalway claim for a second level school should be “examined on its own merits rather than it being considered in a wider catchment area”.
He said: “The population of Claregalway and surrounding area has greatly increased in recent years and there is an immediate demand for a second level school here. The provision of this school will eliminate the current position where pupils have to travel to Galway, Athenry, Tuam or to Oranmore where numbers are already at maximum capacity.”
It is understood that the Department must go through a process to decide on school patronage but it would appear the VEC is the only interested party at this time.
