APPROVAL has been granted for a new €20m state-of-the-art school building for Monaleen National School, with works set to begin soon.
The news has been described as a “milestone moment” for the community by one local TD, while another local representative has warned that the announcement should be taken “with a pinch of salt”.
The new school building, which will comprise 37 classrooms, will be built on the existing 4.7-acre grounds, with the project to be managed by the Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board.
The landmark works will include the demolition of the existing single-storey school building and the provision of a new two-storey school building with 32 classrooms, five special education classrooms, a GP room, a library, resource rooms, a staff room, and ancillary accommodation, all measuring approximately 6,000sq/m.
Associated site works at the new Monaleen school will include ball courts, a yard area, grass playing areas, car parking, a drop-off zone, bicycle parking, boundary walls, vehicular entry/exit points, pedestrian access points, traffic calming measures on site, and all other ancillary site works.
Minister of State and Limerick TD Kieran O’Donnell, who is based in Monaleen, welcomed confirmation from Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board that the Department of Education has approved the appointment of building contractors Coolsivna Construction Limited for the project.
“Having worked with all at Monaleen National School, I very much welcome the confirmation given to me by Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board Education that the Department of Education has granted approval for them to proceed with the appointment of building contractors, Coolsivna Construction Limited, to immediately commence construction in respect of Monaleen National School’s new state-of-art €20m plus school building,” the Minister said.
Local Labour Party councillor for Limerick City East, Elena Secas, is also welcoming the construction, however warned that “many people will take the news with a pinch of salt given the almost decade delay in the delivery of this project”.
“This delay was totally unnecessary and was to the detriment of the school community,” the councillor hit out.
“Generations of pupils have spent most of their primary education in prefabs because of political interference with the initial project proposal a decade ago to build the school in two phases.
“The LCETB have advised me that preparatory works are going to start shortly, so I am really looking forward to seeing activity starting onsite in the next few weeks.”
