Children ‘being crammed’ into school sports hall due to lack of classroom spaces

Scoil Gharbháin in Dungarvan has reached its maximum capacity, and the school is none the wiser as to when they can expect their long awaited and badly needed extension works to commence.

The proposed extension comprises four mainstream classrooms, two special educational needs classrooms and three special education tuition rooms.

It has been years since the original application was submitted, leaving teachers, parents and the school's 320 pupils left wondering when the expansion will come to fruition.

Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked this week for an update on the extension of a school. The matter was also recently raised in the Seanad by Senator Joe Conway.

Deputy McGuinness said that at present, the school is at capacity and are turning children away.

He added, “The school got word in January this year that the long-awaited and much-needed extension had been approved

“The school was then told in February, when that planning permission came through, that its representatives would hear from the technical team within six weeks to progress the project. Nine months later, they are none the wiser. 

"Children are still being crammed into partitioned-off parts of a sports hall. It is utterly unsatisfactory.”

In response to McGuinness' concerns, Deputy Michael Moynihan said: 

"A whole raft of decisions require to be made. When those decisions are made, they will be communicated to the school authority."

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