Kildare primary school 'not fit for purpose' according to report

A Fine Gael TD for Kildare North has raised the “very serious issue” of St Patrick's Primary School in Celbridge, which he told the Dail remains in a serious state of disrepair.

Deputy Joe Neville was speaking in the Dáil on Thursday, February 26 last.

Deputy Neville told the Minister of State, Niall Collins that St Patrick's Primary School, which was built in 2008, is housed in a prefabricated building which was only supposed to be in place for five years.

“Unfortunately”, he said, the school is still in that building 18 years later.

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The Deputy told the Minister of State that a June 2025 report stated that “the existing building in the current condition is not fit for the purpose to operate without considerable risk to the occupants and users as a school”, is “unsafe” and poses “a serious immediate threat to the well-being, health and safety of the occupants and users.”

“That is how a primary school in Celbridge in which there are more than 300 students and also SNAs and teachers is described. These children are the some of the most important and most vulnerable people in our community. They deserve a much better and safer building in which to attend school”, Deputy Neville said.

The situation with St Patrick's Primary School had been raised with the Minister for Education at a meeting on June 18 last year, Deputy Neville pointed out.

He also raised it in the Dáil last October and again in January 2026.

“The pictures of the classroom that I have with me were taken at the end of January. It is not a place where kids should be. There is water running down the walls. The principal and her partner had to clean the classroom after a weekend of rain at the start of January, but the situation has only been exacerbated since then.

“The Minister, Deputy Naughton, visited the school, and she saw the issues that exist at first hand. She has highlighted the issue, but more work needs to be done as a matter of urgency. The principal and the teachers are doing amazing work, and the school has a great community, but the parents are really concerned. We need a resolution.”

Supporting Deputy Neville, Kildare North TD Aidan Farrelly (SD) told the Dáil the Minister of State “is faced with a rare situation” whereby all the TDs in the constituency are working together on the issue.

North Kildare TDs knew that Simon Harris and the Minister are aware of the matter, Deputy Farrelly said, adding, “we need to see action on the architect's report.”

“The entire school community, including the principal, the teachers, the SNAs and the secretaries, should not be expected to work in those conditions”, Deputy Farrelly said.

“We need something in the short term which will ensure that the health and safety of the staff and children is of paramount importance. We all look forward to the Minister of State's reply. He should know that he has collective support from all TDs in the constituency in the context of progressing this over the next couple of weeks. The latter is the timeline within which we need to see action.”

Responding to Deputies Neville and Farrelly, the Minister of State said the Minister for Education and her Department are “fully aware” of the issues raised and will “continue to proactively work with the school, pending the delivery of its permanent accommodation solution.”

Deputy Collins confirmed the new building project for St Patrick's Primary School is at stage 2A of the architectural design proess, with the Department of Education and Youth currently awaiting the submission of the stage 2A report.

Deputy Collins pointed out that some €397m was invested in capital funding for Kildare schools between 2020 and 2025.

Over that period, he added, a total of 47 Kildare schools were upgraded, through the provision of a new school building, a large-scale extension or modular accommodation.

There are also nine school projects in Kildare under construction at present, Deputy Collins added.

“Under the national development plan, another 12 school projects in Kildare will go to tender or construction in 2026 and 2027. This summer, five schools are approved to undergo works as part of the summer works climate action scheme.

“In addition, since 2020 a total of 74 special classes have opened in Kildare, 11 of which were sanctioned for September 2026”, he concluded.