St Mary’s High School in Brollagh, Co Fermanagh, has been battling to remain open for years.
It had been proposed that it close down in 2015 as its pupil numbers fell well below the 500 needed to be considered viable. However, then education minister John O’Dowd went against his advisors by deciding it should remain open.
Accessibility is a major issue for children. If St Mary’s was to close, pupils would have to travel to schools in Enniskillen, even though the school is less than two miles from Donegal, on the other side of the Irish border.
There have been previous attempts at finding a cross-border solution, but these have all failed. A second proposal to shut the school this year was withdrawn.
Parents fighting to save it have since said they support joining the integrated sector. No Catholic school has ever transformed to integrated status.
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