SITE The old Convent of Mercy (at rear) with the old and now vacant Scoil Phádraig (to the right foreground) on Altamont Street in Westport.
Neill O'Neill
THE Board of Management of Holy Trinity NS in Westport have written to The Mayo News to state that their input into plans to relocate their school to the old Convent of Mercy and old Scoil Phádraig grounds in the town is in no way holding up the redevelopment of the site.
In the statement, submitted after this newspaper published a report of the discussion which took place at a meeting of the West Mayo Municipal District in Geesala last week, the Board said they ‘refute any suggestion that the plan to relocate Holy Trinity NS to the Convent of Mercy site is holding up the development’. They add that all involved at Holy Trinity have been ‘working tirelessly since their initial dealings with the Sisters of Mercy in 2011 to effect a seamless and swift transfer of the site and building of a new school’.
Their moves comes in response to a debate around the redevelopment of the convent site, which councillors discussed during last week’s meeting, after having received an update on the proposed project’s progress from Director of Services with Mayo County Council, Tom Gilligan.
While nobody said that Holy Trinity themselves are causing any delay, Mr Gilligan stated that the council recognises the importance of the convent as a ‘strategic site’, but that negotiations between the council and the Department of Education, as to the relocation of Holy Trinity NS, were not moving as swiftly as they [the council] would like.
“The Department of Education contacted us and made inquiries and we are in discussions with the Department, but the progress is not as swift as we would like on the shape and size of the new school, and issues like car parking, but we have agreed to try and get it resolved,” he said during the meeting.
It is understood that there are various suggestions, but not yet an agreement, between the council and department as to how Holy Trinity should best be facilitated on the site of the old Scoil Phádraig on Altamont Street.
The Convent of Mercy site to the rear of the old school building was purchased by Mayo County Council in 2008 for €4 million. The portion of the site on which the old Scoil Phádraig two storey school building is located, did not form part of the purchase. Plans to redevelop the convent site and gardens into civic offices, a new public library and other community-based facilities, have not yet been implemented.
The statement continues: “Holy Trinity NS is the oldest primary school in Westport and probably in Connacht; it was founded back in the late 1700s. It has occupied its current building on the Newport Road in Westport since the early 1800s and has an excellent reputation as a progressive and inclusive school with the very highest education standards. However, the Department of Education Inspectorate reported that the existing building is no longer fit for purpose and recommended that a new school is urgently needed. Building is due to begin in 2018.”
Orla Brickenden, Principal of Holy Trinity NS explained that a larger, more modern school, will allow Holy Trinity to expand the number of pupils on the roll book and the number of teachers, both of which have been constrained by the limits of the old building.
The statement from the Board of Management concludes: “Discussions for the new school and site are ongoing between the Department of Education and Tom Gilligan, Director of Services, Mayo County Council. The Board are not privy to negotiations and trust that Mayo County Council seek the best outcome for our school.”
Holy Trinity NS ‘not delaying’ development of Westport convent
