Delight as school finally gets go-ahead for building

CHILDREN at a 100-year-old Limerick school are looking forward to the end of queuing in the cold and rain just to use the toilet after being given good news about their new building — for the second time in a year.

Kilfinane National School was one of those whose building works was put on hold last summer by Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe because of funding shortages, even though the board was told to go to tender for a new six-classroom project the previous February and had builders lined up for the job.

It was one of a number of schools whose appalling conditions were highlighted in an Irish Examiner series last June on the state of some of the country’s most dilapidated and outdated schoolbuildings.

But pupils, parents and staff are delighted to learn that theirs is one of 10 building projects that have been given the government go-ahead for tender and construction.

Principal Siobhán O’Flynn said the architect expects that work can begin on the nearby site by June.

“All going well, it means we could be in our new school for the start of classes in September 2010. Everyone is thrilled about all the facilities we’re going to have, and most importantly the indoor toilets,” she said.

The 137 pupils and seven teaching staff heard the news earlier this week when local Fianna Fáil TD John Cregan wrote to local families, telling them that Mr O’Keeffe had sanctioned the go-ahead to replace the existing poor facilities at Kilfinane NS. There has been a school on the current site since 1887 and the building in which classes are being taught today is in place since 1909.

All nine other projects — eight primary and one second-level school — announced by the minister yesterday were previously offered for tenders but those agreements have since lapsed. He said the aim was to get better value for taxpayers’ money, because of the slowdown in the construction industry.

The Irish National Teachers’ Organisation said it could not fault him for seeking better value but it must be remembered these schools have been waiting many years for work to begin and hundreds of other school projects are also waiting to make progress.

* The other new schools to be built for: Scoil Náisiúnta (SN) Tulach a Mhíle, Corlough, Co Cavan; Convent of Mercy NS Borris-in-Ossory, Co Laois; Presentation College, Bray, Co Wicklow.

* Six schools will receive extensions: SN an Bráthair M Ó Cléirigh, Creevy, Co Donegal; Scoil Mhuire Ogh, Loreto College, Crumlin, Dublin 12; Scoil Bríde, Palmerstown, Dublin 20; Marymount NS, Inistioge, Co Kilkenny; SN Crónán Naofa, Dromakeen, Co Offaly; SN Cor na Fola, Co Roscommon.