Tramore’s new amalgamated secondary school at Ballycarnane, expected to open in September of 2012, will be of similar ethos to the two schools it replaces, the CBS and Stella Maris.
That assurance was delivered to the local Town Councillors by the respective School Principals, Pat McEvoy and Robert McCarthy, when they addressed the Council’s January meeting on Tuesday night.
The new facility, which will cater for more than 1,200 pupils, will be a “voluntary” school, with Trusteeship vested in the Sisters of Charity and Christian Brothers, rather than a community school incorporating a “vocational” element.
“The nature of the new school will not change one iota from the existing ones”, Mr McEvoy stressed. There is to be a Principal and two Deputy Principals of the amalgamated school, which will be a Public Private Partnership development. The posts will be filled through the normal interview procedure.
Mr McEvoy doesn’t know what is to happen to the existing buildings, which are owned by the Sisters of Charity and the Christian Brothers.
Asked by Cllr Lola O’Sullivan if the sod-turning would precede the local elections next June, he said that would certainly not be the case. The Department had arranged a meeting with all the stakeholders this month, but there would be insufficient time to prepare the way for a start on site by June.
Town Manager Brian White said both the Town and County Councils warmly welcomed confirmation that the new school was to proceed. It was well merited and Tramore didn’t want a school similar to any other but rather one that was the best that could be provided.
