Classroom expansion for Leitrim school, but long-term solution still awaited
While funding for two new classrooms at Scoil Mhuire are a welcome development, the ultimate goal of securing a new school remains unset.
Funding has been granted to provide two mainstream classroom extensions for Scoil Mhuire in Carrick-on-Shannon.
For over 11 years, parents, staff and the school community have been campaigning for a new national school on a single campus due to severe deterioration and overcrowding.
Following the amalgamation of the girls’ and boys’ schools in 2013, an extension was requested.
As student numbers grew, four prefabs were provided to accommodate the increasing demand.
In 2016, an application for a new school building on a single site was submitted to the Department of Education. While the two new classrooms are a welcome development, the ultimate goal of securing a new school remains unset.
In March, the four Sligo-Leitrim TDs visited Scoil Mhuire to meet with the school community.
Frank Feighan TD, who visited, has welcomed the funding for the extensions but acknowledged that more needs to be done.
“The provision of these two classrooms will help in the short term to accommodate the ever-increasing number of pupils attending Scoil Mhuire. However, I realise that this is not a solution to meet the long-term needs of the children of Carrick-on-Shannon who require a new school to cater for the current and projected numbers over the next 20 years,” Deputy Feighan said.
“The provision of two extra classrooms is an important announcement to ensure that the management of the school have more classrooms in the interim period, however the fight goes on to bring all the relevant stakeholders together, especially the department of education to progress plans for a new modern primary school campus for the growing town of Carrick-on-Shannon,” he added.
He also emphasised his commitment to continuing to “press for progress” on the provision of a new primary school.
Independent TD for Sligo-Leitrim, Marian Harkin, has also welcomed the announcement.
“These classrooms are badly needed and I know the Principal, the staff, the parents and the Board of Management are glad to have the extra space the classrooms will provide to a school that is expanding all the time.
“I was very pleased to support this development and I look forward to meeting the Minister to progress the provision of a new school for Scoil Mhuire,” Minister Harkin concluded.