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Gaelscoil de hÍde in Fermoy. Photo: Google Maps

“There is no doubt but that the process is underway to transfer the site for the new Gaelscoil in Fermoy to the Department of Education,” Minister Sean Sherlock said in a statement to The Avondhu this week.

The Minister said he is 'monitoring that process daily' and points out that the very notion of a Greenfield site in 2011 was as a result of his intervention.

“It was clear to me in 2007 when I first elected to the Dáil that Gaelscoil’s current location was wholly inadequate. Given that the site is being fenced off, I hope now the public will realise that this project is going to happen. As the local Minister I have taken ownership of this project since 2011 to ensure that there is a sustainable future for Irish medium education in the Fermoy area,” he said.

“People must understand that until I became Minister, that this project was going nowhere. We have now secured the site. The proof of that is there for people to see. I have listened to the concerns of parents and the principal. The task now is to ensure that we bring the site in to the Department of Education and I am personally overseeing this."

The Minister said he sees this project as a priority and asks that the school community keep faith with him on it, adding that he is also delivering other school projects in the region.

"Historically, prior to 2011, I fail to understand why, when the State’s coffers were full, this project could not have been delivered - but people will draw their own conclusions on that matter.

"The most important thing now is that we seek to ensure that this project goes to planning stage following the conveyance of the site or possibly, in parallel with the conveyance of the site. I am asking people to have a little faith in my ability to deliver this, given my track record in delivering other school projects in the area.”

Minister Sherlock said he met with the parents recently and that assured them of his commitment to this project.

Concluding, he said: "If the local county councillors want to influence the outcome of this project so that, as a community, we can deliver the young pupils of the Gaelscoil, then I respectfully suggest that they devote their energies to representing the people of the area by continuing to apply pressure on Cork County Council and the Housing Agency to ensure that the contracts that have been issued to transfer the land would be done in a timely fashion.”

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