As primary schools across the country close today for the summer holidays, eight will be shutting their doors for the last time.
They are all rural schools with tiny enrolments of between just one and six pupils.
The Department of Education has confirmed that the eight schools are closing permanently following agreement with their patron body, which in all cases is the Catholic Church.
It said “any proposal to close a school involves consultation with all of the relevant stakeholders of the school community and follow decisions taken at local level”.
Falling enrolment at primary level has made life more difficult for very small schools as they have to attract a decreasing number of pupils to maintain their enrolments.
One Galway school resorted this year to offering €2,000 to families who chose to relocate and enrol their children.
The two teacher Scoil Naomh Pádraig in Clochbhreac in Conamara, has seen pupil numbers dwindle in recent years. This year it had 12 pupils enrolled.
One Co Kerry primary school, Scoil Mhuire gan Smál in Lixnaw, which last September recorded just one pupil enrolled, had a staffing allocation this year of two teachers and one SNA. It also operated as a base school for one special education teacher.
In recent years the Department of Education has invested in their buildings, including funding the installation of solar panels in two.
The other seven schools that will close are: Stonetown NS in Co Louth, Ballyfad NS in Co Wexford, Attymon NS and Scoil Naomh Chuan, both in Co Galway, St Patrick’s NS Dumhach Beag in Donegal, Flemby NS in Kerry, and St Joseph’s NS in Aglish, Co Tipperary.
