Newry Armagh Sinn Féin Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

"Write to CCMS to keep Anamar open" - Hearty

Published: 4 March, 2009

Sinn Féin Councillor Terry Hearty has called for everyone concerned about the closure of Anamar school to "lift a pen and write to the CCMS and help stop the forced closure of Anamar school.

Cllr Hearty said,

"As an elected representative in the parish I think that the two options currently being put forward for Anamar school are short sighted. There are a number of factors that point to the only sensible solution, and that is to keep Anamar school open."

"Along with our MP Conor Murphy I attended a number of meetings about the proposed closure of Anamar school, these meetings were very well attended. One meeting with over 300 people all saying the same thing - that Annamar school should remain open."

"Anamar is a very good school working within budget and delivering all aspects of the revised curriculum and has a very good school building."

"There are plans for three different developments in the Crossmaglen area, one of which has started with over 130 houses from

Newry Road

to

Carron Road

. Over the next few years we will see over 250 houses built in the area. These developments would bring more children to the area who would attend Anamar."

"St.Patrick's Primary School is already full to capacity. The traffic around the school before and after the school day is bad enough at the minute without getting stressed further."

"To close a school can have a serious affect on rural life in areas like Annamar where the school is the hub of the rural community. The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development is investing £16.7 million into the rural community in the Southern Region of the Six Counties. The main aim of that funding is "to improve the quality of life for all the people of our rural areas through working in partnership to deliver actions that will build safe, inclusive, equitable, healthy, skilled, sustainable and thriving communities". The closure of Anamar would run against this objective."

"With the economic downturn less young people will be going for building trades and the one thing we owe our children is a good education so that they have more choices in their future. This cannot be achieved in overcrowded classrooms."

"I have recently made a submission to the CCMS calling on them not to close Anamar school. I am now calling on all constituents with an interest in children's education and an interest in rural communities and rural life to lift a pen and write to the CCMS and help stop the forced closure of Anamar school."