LETTERKENNY-MILFORD Municipal District Council is set to write to the Minister for Education and Youth Helen McEntee in relation to the on-going saga regarding plans for a €30 million-plus major extension at St. Eunan’s College in the town.

Since 1999, there have been more than a dozen plans to develop the college with a view to having modern new classrooms and facilities.

Raising the issue at the September meeting of the council, Cllr. Donal Mandy Kelly pointed out that planning permission – which was granted in 2022 – is due to expire in two years’ time.

Expressing disappointment at the slow progress, he highlighted the fact that the school was one of 17 in what has been termed as a “fast-track programme”.

His call for the council to write to the Minister to outlining the importance of the situation and for the green light to be given was seconded by the Mayor, Cllr. Ciaran Brogan.

Cllr. Kelly noted that the college now has in excess of 1,000 pupils and also has a waiting list.

“The school cannot take in more students,” he stated.

He also pointed out the inadequacies of current facilities.

The school has just one art room, two woodwork/construction rooms, two science labs and two technical/design and computer graphics rooms.

If the current project gets the funding and is sanctioned, it will transform St. Eunan’s College, and will see the building of a massive new two-storey extension with up to 37 general classrooms, 20 specialist teaching rooms, two special needs classrooms, a multi-purpose hall, staff room, offices, kitchen and general purpose room.

In order to facilitate this, it is envisaged that all existing temporary buildings, the sports hall and the teaching block built in 1979 will be demolished.

Back in 2012, plans for a development of a similar size were halted after An Bord Pleanala refused permission for the development to go ahead.

According to the latest update from the Department of Education and Youth, the St. Eunan’s College project is officially at the “detailed design stage”.