Local TD says 'departmental delays are placing enormous pressure' on an Offaly school

Independent TD for Laois Offaly Carol Nolan has highlighted what she has termed a ‘disgraceful lack of engagement and follow-through’ from the Department of Education that is resulting in St Brendan’s Community School in Birr being placed under enormous levels of pressure.

Deputy Nolan was speaking after raising the matter with the Department’s Planning & Building Unit at a session of the Oireachtas Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science yesterday:

“I have repeatedly highlighted the need for St Brendan’s to be provided with the kind of definitive clarity it so desperately needs, but unfortunately the delays from the department show no sign of ending,” said Deputy Nolan.

“I made it clear to the officials from the Planning & Building Unit just how serious the matter is and that with the exception of a relatively positive meeting in March with departmental officials nothing has happened, and the school is at a standstill.”

“The school is in urgent need of two ASD classes, a sensory room, life skills room, proper toileting facilities, and sensory gardens. It boggles the mind that a school of this size must fight so hard for basic facilities such as toilets. There is no justification for this.”

“In addition, this year’s enrolment of both ASD classes has increased to full capacity. The school has one disabled toilet in the main building, and this is to cater for two ASD classes and some students who are also in mainstream.”

“St Brendan’s is being pushed to breaking point and that in itself is a damning indictment of the approach to how these issues are resolved within the labyrinth of departmental bureaucracies. The Minister for Education must intervene and bring this matter to a swift resolution,” Deputy Nolan concluded.