UPDATE: Latest delay in new building for Laois Kolbe Special School
HSE and ESB give updates on paperwork issue preventing construction of Portlaoise school
Further developments have taken place following disappointment in Laois at the latest delay on delivering Kolbe Special School's much needed new building.
The plans for the new Kolbe Special School. Photo: Leinster Express
A new €8.7m building is approved by the Department of Education, but the chosen contractor cannot start until powerlines are placed underground.
The ESB has now confirmed that paperwork arrived on January 10 from the HSE, giving permission to the ESB to place the second of two overhead powercables underground.
"We can confirm that the necessary paperwork was received this morning (and in soft copy yesterday afternoon January 9). The works will now be expedited and are at the top of the priority list for ESB Networks in Portlaoise," a spokesperson told the Leinster Express.
Asked for a timescale, the ESB gave the following estimate.
"At this present moment in time, it is envisaged that the works will be completed by the end of February/start of March."
The new school cannot start construction until that electricity line is out of the way.
Earlier on January 10, the Leinster Express was told by the principal of Kolbe that they were disappointed at the latest delay.