A school in Cashel is awaiting clarification from the Department of Education in respect of it’s expansion plans.
Scoil Aonghusa says the Department has approved ten new classrooms for the school – five general rooms, three junior special education rooms and two rooms for students with moderate needs.
The expansion is necessary as the school has 14 students seeking places in the school next September.
The School Principal Siobhán Keys Ryan says some neighbouring land was purchased and some donated to enable the expansion and wants to acknowledge the generosity of their neighbours in Windmill Cashel especially O’Connor Julian Vets.
Confusion arose recently when a project manager working within the Department notified the school that only five classrooms had been approved.
This school is now awaiting the go ahead for the 10 modular rooms and says the Department will provide the necessary funding under the Reconfiguration and Modular Accommodation Strand of the Additional School Accommodation Scheme.
Senator Garret Ahearn raised the matter with Minister for State with responsibility for Special Education Josepha Madigan who praised the work of the school saying “if more schools were like it, the world would be a better place for children with additional needs.
The matter was discussed in the Seanad on March 23rd and the Minister confirmed that the allocation is for ten classrooms.
