Principals feel 'abandoned' to manage new school projects, minister claims

OPW is 'ready, willing, and able' to deliver more quality schools in other parts of the country, Norma Foley told at official opening of new building in Kanturk

School principal Eilish Finnegan; Minister of State for the OPW, Patrick O'Donovan; Bishop of Cloyne, William Crean; Education Minister Norma Foley and Michael Walsh, chair of the board of management, at the opening of Scoil Naoimh Padraig in Kanturk, Co Cork. Picture: David Creedon

Some school principals feel “abandoned” to manage complex building projects without the required skills, a minister of state has claimed at the official opening of a new school in north Cork.

Patrick O’Donovan, the minister with responsibility for the Office of Public Works (OPW), made his comments in Kanturk at the opening of Scoil Naomh Pádraig, a new 16-classroom co-educational school which was built by the OPW for the Department of Education to facilitate the amalgamation of two local primary schools.

The event was attended by Education Minister Norma Foley, who praised everyone involved in the delivery of the project.

But Mr O’Donovan said he and other public representatives know of school principals all over the country who, at this time of the year especially, are trying to oversee the delivery and management of complex school building projects.

“They are ... trying to lead designs and deliveries for buildings without any experience in engineering or architecture, and in some cases, they feel very abandoned and very lonely and they turn to public reps to help them out with the building unit in the Dept of Education, who are always there to help,” he said.

Widened OPW role

“It is a challenge for us as a government, and the OPW’s role has been widened recently in the delivery of housing, so I would like to say publicly, Minister Foley, if there is further collaboration required or needed in the delivery of large-scale projects like this, the OPW with the history and heritage we have, is ready, willing and able to deliver schools of this quality in other parts of the country.” 

The new school, designed by the OPW, was built by Vision Contractors on a greenfield site on the town’s Link Road to facilitate the amalgamation of the Convent of Mercy, founded in 1936, and Saint Colman’s Boys NS, founded in 1982.

The convent school had co-education classes at junior and senior infants level only, and girls only to sixth class. 

The boys left the Convent school after senior infants to attend the boys-only St Colman’s NS from first to sixth class.

Now, some 340 boys and girls representing 14 different nationalities, including Ukrainian children, are on the roll of Naomh Pádraig, which is under the patronage of the Bishop of Cloyne, William Crean.

What's your view on this issue?

You can tell us here

That diversity makes the school stronger and provides opportunities for the children from two schools to make new friends and learn new things, principal Eilish Finnegan said.

'A great day' for all involved

Michael Walsh, who oversaw the amalgamation steering committee and who is now chairman of the board of management, described it as a great day for all involved.

He said there was great buy-in from the staff and boards of management of both schools as the amalgamation process evolved, and that the transition to a new unified school in a new school building has been "seamless".

“We are blending the remarkable legacies and traditions of two schools and ultimately it is a win-win for staff and pupils alike, but ultimately, it is the children who are the winners," he said.

He also praised the leadership of the school’s new principal, Ms Finnegan, and the new deputy principal, Daniel Woods.