Heydon pushes for 'expedited' second level school places
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| Ministers Martin Heydon and Norma Foley. |
A demand for a faster delivery of extra secondary school accommodation across south Kildare, including at CPC Kilcullen, is being pushed by local TD and Minister of State Martin Heydon, writes Brian Byrne.
The proposed extension to CPC was announced in July of 2018, but progress on the plan since then appears to have stalled, along with a similar proposal for the Patrician Secondary School in Newbridge.
This week Minister Heydon has asked that both of these, and one for Athy Community College, be prioritised. Delivery of a requested extension of St Kevin's Community College Dunlavin would also help to alleviate the school places situation, he said, one which is causing 'concern and stress' to parents and pupils across the constituency.
He told the Diary that south Kildare is a major 'pinch point' in the country for second level places. "Issues are arising in Kildare Town, Newbridge, Monasterevin, Kilcullen, Athy and Naas. Not many other areas are experiencing the same kind of pressure. I would hope that the Department recognises this, and if we were to improve the situation in any one school it would make a big difference to pressure in others across the way."
Commenting that CPC 'needs its extension pronto', he said that the continuing rise in numbers at Scoil Bhride NS adds to pressure on Kilcullen's second level, as also has 'slow progress' on plans to deliver a new school building to replace the Curragh Post Primary School. "That project is now awaiting final site selection and needs to be urgently progressed."
A difficulty in quantifying the exact number of additional places required locally for next September has been raised by Education Minister Norma Foley in communication with Minister Heydon. "There's no combined application process between the schools in the area," he says, "so many students are double counted as they are on more than one waiting list or may already have been offered a school place but still remain on other waiting lists. The Department and local Kildare schools need to work closer together in coming weeks to identify exactly where additional accommodation can be delivered for next September."
Minister Foley says the proposed refurbishment and extension at CPC has been devolved to the National Development Finance Agency for delivery as part of a programme of school building projects. In this it is 'bundled' with the Patrician Secondary School, and on completion each school would be able to accommodate 1,000 pupils. However, she said these developments are in 'early stages' and it is not possible to give a timeline for their completion.
Minister Heydon said yesterday he will continue to push for a prioritisation and faster delivery of the projects.
