Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 27 Nov 1996

Vol. 472 No. 2

Adjournment Debate. - Buttevant (Cork) School.

Mr. E. O'Keeffe

I thank you, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle, and the Deputies who agreed to have the order changed. I wish to raise the matter of the closure or the changeover of St. Mary's post-primary school in Buttevant. Buttevant is a small town in north Cork, better known as Cill na Mullach. As a small rural town it has suffered much in unemployment over the years and has not recovered from the closure of its small industry. A famous person who came from that area was Mr. Noel Whelan who was secretary at the Department of the Taoiseach. This area which is in the Awbeg Valley is well known for its history, its writings and Spencer, who wrote The Faery Queen. The first steeplechase in the world which was a significant and historic event was run between Buttevant and Doneraile. This small rural town depends on agriculture and a rural environment.

The Sisters of Mercy have played a major role in post-primary education in Buttevant for a long number of years dating back to 1879. There are approximately 140 pupils in that school. The anxiety of the parents must be taken into account in any changeover. Many parents have contacted me not because of the closure or the change but the upsetting effect it will have on students who are in their final year in that post-primary school. The school has between 20 and 25 dedicated teachers. The number of pupils there has increased because of the closure of the Sacred Heart College — now a community college — a number of years ago.

The post primary school in any town is the flagship of education which is so necessary in a rural town. Let us look at what will happen if the proposed change takes place. Mallow to the south, Doneraile to the east, Kanturk to the west and Charleville to the north will have to provide extra places. I understand that despite a downturn in the population many of those schools will be overcrowded should the change take place.

The people of Buttevant are proud of their history, their past and their education. It also has the famous horse fair, Cahirmee. In recent times a plaque was unveiled to Ms Ann Bunworth who was a famous harpist. That gives a great culture and background to the town of Buttevant and surrounding areas. Ms Bunworth was a relative of the Minister for Justice, Deputy Owen. I want to be even-handed and to pay tribute to someone who made a worthwhile contribution to the area.

I wish to share my time with Deputy Bradford.

An Leas-Cheann Comhairle

I am sure that is satisfactory.

Mr. E. O'Keeffe

I protest at the greater centralisation which will follow the closure or any change in respect of this school. Taking a facility from an area that has had it for such a long time is unkind and cannot be tolerated. Will the Minister put in place the necessary measures to ensure continuity of the facility in Buttevant?

The Mercy Order has been to the forefront in education both primary and post-primary. It has served the country well and helped many people who were in need of education and who could ill afford it to rise to the highest levels. For that reason I ask the Minister to accede to my request.

Mr. Bradford

I thank my constituency colleague, Deputy O'Keeffe, for raising the matter on the Adjournment and for sharing his time with me. I am interested to hear the Minister's reply. Unfortunately, a story which is doing the rounds in the Buttevant area suggests that somehow the Department is responsible for this decision. It is important that the matter be clarified. I would be the first to commend the Sisters of Mercy for the work they have done not only in education in the town but also in providing a fine facility for the elderly in recent times.

My understanding is that with the declining school numbers the Mercy Order has taken a decision to close the school. That is a regrettable decision and I hope it can be reconsidered. If it is reconsidered, commitments will have to be given locally that the vast majority of pupils from the area will utilise that school. I hope the Minister will be able to give an assurance to the school authorities and to the parents that should a decision be made to keep the school in operation any building, reconstruction or refurbishment work required within the school will be considered sympathetically by the Department. This is a crucial issue for a small town. If a town the size of Buttevant loses its secondary school it literally loses its soul. We must do everything possible from a departmental perspective to ensure a decision is made by the Mercy Order to keep the school open and allow the people of Buttevant to have their children educated at a second level school in the town.

Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach)

I thank both Deputies for raising this matter since it affords me an opportunity to clarify the position on the provision of post-primary education for pupils in the Buttevant area.

The post-primary school in Buttevant, St. Mary's, is privately-owned, run by a religious order of nuns. In the first instance any decision in relation to its future, including a decision to close, is a matter for its management authorities. My Department's responsibility is to ensure that, if the school closes, adequate alternative arrangements are put in place for the pupils of the area.

Originally there were two post-primary schools in Buttevant. However, with effect from the 1985-86 school year, the lay secondary school for boys, Coláite Chroí Naofa, closed down, its teachers and pupils being absorbed into St. Mary's secondary school. My Department approved that rationalisation measure. I must acknowledge that the sister in St. Mary's were very co-operative in that respect.

In recent years the school has been under pressure to enrol pupils from surrounding post-primary centres, such as Charleville to the north, Kanturk to the west and Doneraile to the east. In particular, the development of a single coeducational secondary school in Doneraile in 1992 appears to have had a significant impact on St. Mary's Consequently, the Buttevant school has been attracting less than 50 per cent of the potential enrolment in its catchment area and has a total current enrolment of 150 pupils.

While the future viability of schools of this size is in question, particularly in the light of declining demographic trends, only this week did the planning section of my Department become aware of the possible closure of the Buttevant school, formal notification to that effect having been received today. It is understood from this communication from the school authorities that what is intended is the phasing out of the school over a number of years, beginning next September, when there will be no intake of first year pupils. Existing pupils will be allowed complete their current cycle in the school.

My Department accepts that the closure of a school can cause inconvenience for pupils, teachers and parents in the area involved. In the light of today's communication my Department will be in touch with the school authorities in the matter and will identify the necessary steps to be taken to ensure that alternative arrangements are made for the post-primary education of the pupils from the area.

Both Deputies may be assured that my Department will make every effort to ensure continuity of educational provision for post-primary pupils from the Buttevant area.