Extensions or a new school is the solution – Cllr Byrne

COUNCILLOR Malcolm Byrne has said that a ‘sticking plaster’ solution to the ongoing crisis of school places in north Wexford is only going to push the problem out to next year.

His comments came in the wake of a visit by the Minister for Education and Skills, Joe McHugh TD, to Gorey where he went to the local community school and Creagh College.

Minister McHugh also travelled to Riverchapel National School for the opening of a new library and he also met with principals from local primary schools who impressed on him the need for a third secondary school in north Wexford.

Cllr Byrne highlighted to this newspaper there are now waiting lists for both Creagh College and Gorey Community School and he said this is causing concern for parents and students who are not yet sure if they have a place for first year.

Cllr Byrne, who is the Chairperson of the Board of Management at Creagh College, said: ‘We have been warning the Government and Department of Education for a number of years that as North Wexford continues to grow, we would need more places. This is a lack of planning and completely unfair to the more than one hundred students now waiting to find out if they have a place in one of the two excellent schools in town.’

Cllr Byrne went on to say that ‘a sticking plaster’ solution would be found for 2019 but this would only push the problem to next year.

‘We need to either extend one or both of the existing schools, or build a new school in the area.’