Clarity sought on new home for the ‘Bish’ in Galway

Galway West TD Catherine Connolly (Ind) has asked the Department to outline what is in store for the boys’ secondary school at Nuns’ Island.

It was announced some time ago that the Bish would move to land in Dangan adjacent to NUI Galway’s campus.

Its existing site at Nuns’ Island, which it has outgrown, is earmarked for redevelopment by NUIG.

Minister for Education, Norma Foley confirmed in the Dáil last week that the new Bish was among several building projects in the pipeline for Galway.

The other new school building projects in Galway on the list include: Scoil Chaitríona Junior and Senior schools, Rosedale Special School, Scoil Mhuire, Moycullen and St Teresa’s Special School.

Minister Foley did not give further details on the progress of the Bish, and Deputy Connolly has now sought clarity from the Department, including a timeline.

She did so in the context of existing vacant school buildings in the city centre.

Last week, it was confirmed that Galway Educate Together will move to the former Mercy School in Newtownsmyth for two years while a search continues for a permanent base for the multi-denominational school.

Minister Foley told Deputy Connolly her Department was aware of vacant former school properties in Galway City, and of properties which may become vacant as a result of school building projects.

“These properties are in the ownership of third parties but such properties are considered as part of my Department’s assessment of potential solutions,” Minister Foley said.

Deputy Connolly told the Galway City Tribune: “I was trying to ascertain from the Minister whether we need to build new schools, or whether we have enough capacity in existing school buildings that are empty.

“We learned last week that Educate Together will go into one of the empty buildings (Mercy). I welcome that they have temporary accommodation secured for two years.

“My difficulty is we have empty schools [the former Mercy and Presentation]; and it was unacceptable from day one that two schools should be empty, when one school [The Bish] appears to be under pressure in relation to numbers. The Presentation is literally a stone’s throw across the river to the Bish.

“I would’ve thought that they could coalesce or unite for a solution but that doesn’t seem to have happened and there doesn’t seem to be an appetite for it but it seems to me to be a very practical solution to any schools’ difficulties.”

Deputy Connolly said she would “like clarity” on the Department’s plans for The Bish, in view of the empty schools in Galway City.

“It’s important to get clarity on it,” she said.