Safety fears as school access road unfinished

FEARS have been expressed for the safety of young children who have to walk through muck and rubble to reach a state-of-the-art school after building work near the site stalled.

Despite getting a new €3.8 million school building last year, the pupils of St Colman’s Boys’ National School in Macroom, Co Cork have been left without a proper access road or footpaths.

They have to walk uphill from Cork Street along a temporary gravel path, negotiate uneven terrain and pass large concrete sewage pipes which jut out of the ground.

They are escorted by teachers every morning amid concerns for their safety.

Parent John Corcoran criticised the conditions, which he said had deteriorated during the recent big freeze when the access road became a “mud bath”.

“It was like a river flowing down the hill,” Mr Corcoran said.

The new school was built after the school’s board of management agreed a land swap deal with John J Casey Project Management.

Under the terms of the deal, the company acquired the old school building near the main road, and the new school was built on a higher site to the rear.

Mr Casey planned to demolish the old school for a retail and residential development.

The 140 pupils, their 15 teachers and 16 special needs assistants, moved into the new school building, which has two autism units, last March.

But the access road and footpaths from the main road have not been completed.

Fr Gabriel Burke, the chairman of the board of management, said the school has worked hard over the years to build up its reputation.

“We now have excellent facilities, the envy of all the others but I can’t officially open the school until the road is finished,” he said.

He also criticised the town council after it was discovered a bond of just €100,000 was in place – not enough to cover the cost of the work should the council undertake it.

Mr Corcoran has written to Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe asking him to resolve the situation, and has raised the issue with local Fine Gael TD Michael Creed.

Mr Creed in turn raised the issue in the Dáil in recent months but Mr Corcoran said nothing has changed.

A spokesperson for the minister, who has been in correspondence with the developer on the issue, said he is very aware of the situation.

“The developer has indicated that he will be returning to the site in the summer,” he said.

“The minister and the department will be keeping a close eye on the situation.”

A spokesperson for Project Management said he believes the temporary pathway is adequate and that it will take between 10 and 12 weeks to complete the outstanding works.

“We can’t do it while the children are in school but as soon as they go on holidays, it is our intention to return to the site and complete the work,” he said.

The work, which will include a new road, pavement and lighting, will be done in consultation with the school, he said.

In a recent letter to the minister, Mr Casey criticised the school management group and described it as “obstructive”. Fr Burke rejected Mr Casey’s claims, saying the school “bent over backwards” to facilitate his company.