Minister contradicts Uisce Éireann denial it gave him assurances about opening of Cork special school

Special education minister Michael Moynihan stands by his claim he was given 'at least a dozen' assurances about opening of school in Carrignavar, despite Uisce Éireann officials saying there was no record of any such engagement

North Cork Community Special School in Carrignavar opened last week after the Department of Education installed a purpose-built wastewater treatment system.

A Government minister has flatly contradicted an Uisce Éireann denial it gave him assurances about the opening of a special school in a Cork village.

In April 2025, it was reported special education minister Michael Moynihan had received verbal assurances from Uisce Éireann that wastewater treatment issues would not hinder the opening of the North Cork Community Special School in Carrignavar.

According to internal Uisce Éireann documents, that report led to officials saying there was no record of any such engagement with the minister.

Mr Moynihan has now stood by his claim he was given “at least a dozen” such assurances.

The North Cork Community Special School was announced in November 2024 as being planned for the 2025/26 school year.

Its planned opening last September, in a refurbished former primary school in Carrignavar, was delayed by wastewater treatment capacity issues in the village, and it opened instead in temporary accommodation in Gaelscoil de hÍde in Fermoy.

The school has 25 staff and caters for 36 children, aged between four and 18, with autism and mild or moderate learning difficulties.

Wastewater has been an ongoing issue in Carrignavar, a village about 15km from Cork City, with a population of 563.

Following notice of “a discoloured discharge in the River Cloghnagashee, Carrignavar” in July, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found the local wastewater treatment plant was “both biologically and hydraulically overloaded”.

It had been feared the school would not open in its new premises after it emerged that Uisce Éireann had not signed off on connecting it to the sewerage system.

However, the school opened in Carrignavar this week after the Department of Education installed a purpose-built wastewater treatment system there.

In documents released to Sinn Féin's Cork North-Central TD Thomas Gould under Freedom of Information legislation, there was alarm in Uisce Éireann at the report Mr Moynihan had been assured wastewater treatment capacity would not affect the special school.

Noting the local plant was “operating well beyond its design capacity”, Uisce Éireann’s asset planning lead said: “As far as I am aware, there is no project under way or scheduled for Carrignavar at this time.

“Do we know if assurances were given to the minister, and if not do we need to follow up on this?” 

The company’s southwest communications manager replied: “I checked in with the public affairs/shareholder team and there is no record of any such engagement with the minister”.

Mr Moynihan said that was “at variance with what I have been told at least a dozen times”.

He added his “number one commitment” was to children with additional needs and their families.

“The school is open, and I’m looking forward to engaging with the school authorities over the next couple of weeks,” he said.

Mr Gould said he was seeking “urgent clarification” from the minister.

“Who in Uisce Éireann gave him a reassurance in 2025? This is really concerning,” he said.