East Cork needs a new second-level school – David Stanton

Cork East Constituency Fine Gael TD, David Stanton, has called on the Minister for Education and her Department to investigate the need to establish another second-level school in the East Cork area.

Speaking after raising the matter with Minister Foley, Deputy Stanton said: “There are a number of students who have recently finished primary school and who currently have no second-level school place for the coming September. Such uncertainty into the summer months can lead to considerable concern among parents and students alike.

“We are fortunate in East Cork in that we have excellent second-level schools but many of them now have over 1000 students with numbers continuing to rise”.

David Stanton feels that 1300 students is the maximum enrolment size of any second-level school and as a result of the ever-increasing demand for second-level school places in East Cork, has proposed the establishment of a new local secondary school.

“Given the numerous proposals to increase housing supply in the Midleton and Carrigtwohill areas together with the fact that all local secondary schools have a large enrolment of students, I believe the Department of Education should now be planning the development of another second-level school to cater for what will undoubtedly be an increased demand for school places in the years ahead”.

Deputy Stanton has asked that the Minister for Education consider the establishment of an Educate Together second-level school in East Cork to meet the growing demand from local parents who wish their children to be educated in a non-denominational school.