Urgent need for major school expansion in North Tipp
Lowry calls for timeline on project
As demand for places in second level education in the area intensifies, Education Minister, Norma Foley, has been called upon to clarify plans for a major expansion at St Mary's Secondary School.
Deputy Michael Lowry has described as “urgent” the need for a planned building project at the Newport education hub to proceed to construction.
“The school has experienced a significant increase in student enrolment, growing from 509 students in 2016 to 721 in September 2023. This highlights the critical need for expanded facilities,” he said.
St Mary’s Secondary School was approved under the 2021 Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme for a project that includes three General Classrooms, a Graphics room, two Science labs with a Prep Area, a Home Economics Room and a two Classroom SEN Base.
“Despite this approval, the project has faced delays in progressing past Stage 2A, applying for planning permission, and moving to the tender and construction stages,” Deputy Lowry commented this week.
He added: “In 2022, funding was approved for Modular Accommodation to address immediate needs. However, in 2023, the brief for modular accommodation was reduced, resulting in inadequate facilities for the current and projected student population.
“The Stage 2A Report was submitted to the Department of Education in August 2024 and is currently under review, from both a technical and cost perspective.
“The minister has stated that it is not possible to predict when the project will move to construction due to various contingent factors.”
He called on Minister Foley to provide a clear timeline for the approval of progressing past Stage 2A, the envisaged timeframe for the tender stage and the construction timeframe to ensure that St. Mary’s Secondary School can meet the needs of its students and families.
It is understood that the Minister for Education has acknowledged the urgent need for the project and assured that once the review is completed, the department will contact the school authorities with the outcome for the progression of this much-needed project.
Due to the rapid growth in population in the Newport area over the past two decades, the demand for facilities at second level has escalated.