Press Statement
From: Kieran O’Donnell TD
Monday 15th March 2021
Monaleen National School New 34 Classroom School building project takes another Major Step forward – O’Donnell
- Planning Permission Application for New 34 Classroom state-of-art School Building to be submitted over the next few weeks
Monaleen based Limerick TD, Kieran O’Donnell has today confirmed that the Limerick and Clare Education & Training Board (LCETB) will over the next few weeks submit a planning application for the new state-of-art 34 classroom school building at Monaleen national school to Limerick City & County Council.
Minister for Education, Norma Foley TD has confirmed to Deputy O’Donnell that the Stage 2a meeting for Monaleen NS Building project with the Department of Education is to take place on 1st April next. It would be expected that approval will be given at this meeting to allow Limerick and Clare ETB to proceed to apply for planning permisssion.
“Limerick and Clare Education & Training board have confirmed to me that they intend over the next few weeks to submit a detailed planning application for a new state-of-art 34 classroom school building at Monaleen national school to Limerick City & County Council. This will follow their stage2a approval meeting with the Department of Education to take place on 1st April next, which will allow the school building project to proceed to apply for planning permission. MCOH Architects are the appointed design team for the new School building project.
“This is another major step forward for this much needed new school building project in the high population growth area of Monaleen.
“To progress the new school building project at Monaleen National school, I had previously requested and arranged with the Department of Education for the new school building project to be devolved to Limerick and Clare ETB. I pursued this strategy on the basis that as the LCETB are locally based and bring a wealth of expertise and experience in delivering School building projects in Limerick and Clare, this would enable this vital new 34 classrooms building for Monaleen National School to be progressed without delay.
“I can understand the frustration of parents, pupils and the school with the lengthy process here. However, we now have a defined structured process underway with LCETB which will ensure this much needed new school building project can be built as quickly as possible.
“The next steps are for the Limerick and Clare ETB to bring the school building through the planning permission, tender and construction stages. It is planned for the new school building to be opened for teaching staff and pupils by 2024.
“In summary, the new school building project is a 2 storey new School building of 34 Classrooms, with 32 mainstream and 2 SEN classrooms respectively. The new school building will be located on the existing 4 acre site and it will built as one unit.
“I have been and will continue to work with the Monaleen National School, Parents association and the LCETB to progress the construction of this new 34 Classroom school building as fast as it can be done.
ENDS.