Cribbin welcomes tendering of new Edenderry school building contract

Fine Gael Cllr Noel Cribbin has warmly welcomed the news that the Tender Documents for the new Oaklands Collage are out with a provisional build cost of €37 million. This new build on the site of the unfinished hotel building in the town will be a tremendous economic boost to Edenderry with this huge investment in our youth, he said.

He congratulated all involved including Principal Brian Kehoe, the vice principal and his Fine Gael colleagues Cllr Liam Quinn and all in LOETB for delivering the plans and funding.

The fabulous new facility will include modern classrooms,a fully equipped gym,science laboratories, sports hall  and outdoor recreational areas that can accommodate 1000 students and over 120 teaching staff, he said, adding that its new location will improve traffic flow in town with the new inner relief road opened beside the school.

He commended Offaly County Council and former Director of Services Declan Conlon for their part in acquiring the derelict site, acting on the concerns of the local councillors, and negotiating with banks to acquire the site for one euro.

He said his own input was to propose this site for the new  Oaklands Collage as the existing school was landlocked and couldn’t expand.

The late Principal Ger Connolly and Cllr Quinn took the proposal on board and Offaly County Council passed on the site to the LOETB for €1.

He said the proposals had multiple positives, including a site with the scope for a new build, the demolition of the former hotel, and the injection of extra business to the Dunnes Stores and town centre area, as well as a state-of-the-art new school.