Ministers hold meeting with Scoil Garbhaín over expansion plans fiasco
This week, the Waterford News & Star reported on the Department of Education unexpectedly announcing that a previously agreed upon extension to Scoil Gharbháin is to be significantly reduced in scale.
In November 2024 the Department formally offered and agreed a school building project consisting of four mainstream classrooms, two Special Educational Needs (SEN) classrooms, and three Special Education Tuition rooms for Scoil Gharbháin.
The Department has now reneged on this agreed project and reduced the allocation to only one mainstream classroom and two SEN classrooms
The news comes after a site had already been purchased specifically designed to accommodate the original expansion plans.
The news was met with shock and devastation for the school community.
On Wednesday morning, the school's Principal, Deputy Principal and Chairperson of the Board of Management met with Minister for Education Hildegarde Naughton TD in Leinster House.
The meeting was organised and attended by Ministers John Cummins and Mary Butler.
It is understood that the Department will be appointing a project manager to oversee the progression of the project brief and the overall masterplan for the site, via the modular framework.
The initial phase of the project includes two mainstream classrooms and two special classes.
Engagement will continue now between the Department, the school and the project manager, once appointed, to progress the planning and design of the remaining accommodation required as part of the overall masterplan for the adjacent site which was purchased by the Department for the expansion of Scoil Gharbháin, a statement from Minister Cummins' office said.
Plans for the site will be progressed on the basis that the accommodation needs for the school will be fulfilled. Discussions will take place on how quickly this can be achieved with the aim to progress the additional two mainstream classes as quickly as possible, the statement added.
