Costello calls for alternative educational use for All Hallows College

17 September 2014

by Cllr Joe Costello

The inability of All Hallows College to continue to function as an educational institution to train priests for the foreign missions, due to lack of funding, should not mean the closure of the college.  NUI Maynooth also functioned solely as a seminary for the training of priests until the early 1960s, but since then, it has become a very successful university.

It would be a shame if All Hallows, a third-level college for over 150 years, should simply close or be sold off for development.

I believe that the State and/or the private sector should engage with the All Hallows authorities to explore an alternative educational use for the college. 

Ireland has always had a reputation for learning, both at home and abroad.  At present, the Irish Government is actively recruiting international students to study in the existing third-level colleges and universities in Ireland.  All Hallows already has links with Dublin City University.  Perhaps the college could be adapted as a centre for education for international students through its association with DCU and other third-level institutions?

I intend to raise the future of All Hallows with the Minister Jan O’Sullivan at the earliest possible opportunity.