The Mayo News

Westport NS criticises government survey


Áine Ryan
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THE BOARD of Holy Trinity National School, Westport, is outraged by ‘its virtual exclusion’ from an ongoing national government survey of primary schools. They say the survey on patronage and pluralism, established by Minister Ruairí Quinn,  has caused much confusion for parents by using  archaic identification terminology – Westport 2 NS, Newtown – instead of the proper name and address: Holy Trinity NS, Newport Road. 
“We are extremely unhappy at this situation. The use of this archaic title in the survey is causing unnecessary uncertainty and causing parents to complete the survey inaccurately,” said Julian Ellison, the chairman of the Board of Management.
Holy Trinity NS  has over 60 pupils who come from a wide variety of multi-denominational and multi-cultural backgrounds. Mr Ellison says that this inclusivity underpins the fundamental aim of the survey.
Generally, the survey hopes to establish the level of demand from parents for diversity of school patronage in each of the surveyed towns and suburbs. In the western region, they include Westport, Ballina, Roscommon, Tuam, Ballinasloe and Loughrea. Castleabr was part of an earlier pilot survey. 
At present, more than 90 per cent or 3000 schools are under the remit of the Catholic Church.
The survey closes on Friday next, February 8.

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