*The matter was discussed at the September meeting of Clare County Council.
SUMMER HOLIDAYS for schools need to be extended to aid the Clare economy, a West Clare councillor has argued.
Clare County Council are to write to Minister for Education, Helen McEntee (FG) requesting that primary and secondary schools do not open earlier than September 1st each year.
It follows a proposal from Cllr Rita McInerney (FF) who flagged, “An earlier return shortens the summer season and directly impacts families, holiday homeowners, and those paying significant site fees for mobile homes, who deserve to get value from their investment. More importantly, it undermines the viability of local businesses in tourism-dependent areas”. Cutting the season short is “having a serious impact on our tourism communities”.
She stated, “Many hotels, restaurants, cafés, shops, activity providers, and seasonal attractions in Clare and across Ireland rely heavily on a strong summer trade to carry them through the lean nine months of the off-season. Curtailing the school holidays cuts short this vital window, reducing visitor numbers at the peak of the season, and ultimately threatening the survival of businesses that form the backbone of our local economy. By ensuring the return to school does not take place before September 1st, families will be able to fully avail of the summer break, while rural and coastal communities will benefit from an extended, more sustainable tourist season”.
Speaking at Monday’s meeting of the Council, Cllr McInerney said reverting back to a September start for the academic year was “about fairness for families and sustainability for our coastal communities. With the schools now returning in August, the summer is cut very short for those of us in coastal areas, people are paying significant fees for mobile homes and they see their value reduced”.
According to the Doonbeg shop owner, “Clare’s economy relies heavily on July and August. For many of our farming families, June and July is often the busiest time on the land and they try to take a well-earned break in the final few weeks of August but now the schools have returned so the window is lost. I am not looking for radical change, it was the way it was when I was in school, was always the hurling All-Ireland final on the Sunday and back to school on the Monday”.
A special needs assistant at St Anne’s Special School in Ennis, Cllr Antoinette Baker Bashua (FF) outlined that she returned to school on August 24th. “It seemed really early this year. I do get it, people had planned to go back on last week of August so a lot of families wouldn’t have had the opportunity to go on holiday during the height of the summer because of the expense. I’m being totally selfish but I want to go back on September 1st”.
In the view of Cllr Gabriel Keating (FG), “the Department of Tourism are trying to extend the tourism season and the Department of Education are trying to shorten it”. He said, “there must be a medium where we can increase or decrease it on the other side”. Noting the presence of Cllr Joe Killeen (FF), a former President of INTO and primary school principal, Keating remarked, “I’d like to hear what he thinks”.
In response, Cllr Killeen commented, “If Rita was able to get this over the line and cut the amount of days teachers have to work then she could run for the Presidency”. He explained that schools are returning earlier “to give extra space for individual discretion to take long weekends or Mid-Term breaks”. He said the current system was introduced “for children’s welfare” and the calendar of the Mid-Terms in October, February and the two-week Easter break also gives parents the chance to take a holiday in Ireland. “I still support the motion but we still have a statutory requirement for the amount of days”.
More efficiency is needed from schools to advise of the earlier return, Cllr James Ryan (SF) said while supporting the proposal which he felt “will give the tourism season more of a chance”. Cllr Tom O’Callaghan (FF) agreed with the motion, “it does make a difference”.
Having a week off in August “is a lot more beneficial to parents and students than a week in February,” Cllr Michael Shannon (FF) maintained. Cllr Conor Ryan (FG) clarified that it was redistributing the holidays rather than giving extra holidays, “My girlfriend Ciara would only be delighted we’re talking about giving teachers longer holidays. It would be great to benefit the tourism economy”.
Extending the tourism season is necessary, Cllr Joe Garrihy (FG) believed. “Willie Daly would like us to extend the tourism season to October 1st and we might improve the marriage rates. Lisdoonvarna is flying it for the Matchmaking festival, ye are all welcome to come up”.
