A meeting is to take place tomorrow between a senior official from the Department of Education and principals from all secondary schools in the Ennis area regarding second level enrolment issues in the county.

In April, The Clare Echo reported that 37 children in the county were without a second level place for September as they made the transition from primary to secondary school. On Tuesday, secondary school enrolment lists will be shared in an attempt to address applications being made to multiple schools and a delay in responding to whether or not they will accept such places when offered.

Twelve primary school principals in the county issued a letter to Clare TDs and councillors in the Ennis Municipal District to highlight their concerns in the past month. These included, John Burns (Barefield NS); Hugh Connolly (Holy Family Senior NS); Sharon Dilger (Holy Family Junior NS); Jim Curran (Knockanean NS); Dara Glynn (Ennis CBS Primary); Trina Golden (Ennis Educate Together NS); Fergal Lynch (Scoil Na Mainistreach, Quin); Martin Moloney (Clarecastle NS) Dónal Ó hAiniféin (Gaelscoil Mhíchíl Cíosóg, Inis); Gearóid Roughan (Scoil Chríost Rí); Mary Rockett (Scoil Na Maighdine Mhuire, Newmarket-on-Fergus) and Brian Troy (Ennis National School).

Fine Gael TD, Joe Carey was one of those contacted on the issue. He told The Clare Echo, “In terms of providing more capacity, construction on an extension to provide an additional 200 school places at Ennis Community College will get under way in the coming weeks, while an additional eight classrooms and a general purpose hall will be made available to Rice College from this Summer.

“Even more significantly, the Department has stated that it will approve a further extension to provide additional secondary school places if necessary”.