OVER 1,000 responses are expected to be submitted as part of a public consultation on the future of St Mary’s High School, Brollagh – and the deadline for submissions has been extended to August 31.
A delegation from the school’s Parent Action Group (PAG), along with politicians met with permanent secretary, Derek Baker to voice their concerns over the threat of closure.
Councillor Anthony Feely, a former pupil of the school said, “People are still very positive about the future of St Marys. In the run up to the deadline I would ask those who haven’t submitted a response yet to consider doing so, even if you’re a past pupil not living in Fermanagh you can still have your say. Brollagh is an integral part of our community, it’s used for a lot of community events and it’s important we protect this.”
Councillor Adam Gannon, in urging people to ‘object in large numbers’ said, “The community has really rallied around the campaign to keep St Mary’s open and the work of the Parent’s Action Group has been a driving factor in this. St Mary’s is a fantastic school, and it is a vital part of the community.
“The number of consultation responses already submitted demonstrates the considerable support for the school and it needs to stay open.
“If the proposal succeeds in closing the school it will be only a matter of time before the next rural school is on the chopping block. So I would urge everyone, no matter where you live, to formally object to this proposal. We need to defend rural services and prevent rural decline in this county. Rural areas should have access to key services and not be relegated to second class citizens stripped of their local amenities.”
A spokesman for PAG said, “We again appeal to everyone within the west Fermanagh area to submit there objection letter before the 31st August and have your voice heard on this very important issue.”
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