By Róise Collins
THERE is great excitement as Letterkenny’s Scoil Choilmcille NS prepares to officially open its new multi-million euro campus tomorrow.
The school has been expanding rapidly and can now accommodate 612 students across 24 classrooms.
The state-of-the-art extension includes 13 new special education tuition rooms, two multi-purpose rooms, a beautiful library, a new staff room and a massive sports hall that can fit two classrooms simultaneously.
Externally there is a new front court, four new play courts and 42 new internal car park spaces.
The school’s staff will also increase significantly. There will be 40 teachers, nine SNAs, two secretaries and a caretaker.
The school will be officially opened on Wednesday by the former Minister for Education, Joe McHugh TD.
According to the school principal Mr Paraig Cannon, Deputy McHugh was a great support to the school throughout this 16 year gestation period and his ministerial influence was pivotal in getting the project over the line.
The school has had more than their fair share of obstacles to overcome since 2006 when they first received approval from the Department of Education.
“There were several changes of ministers for education, several changes of government, changes in fire safety legislation and even a major recession to contend with,” said Mr Cannon.
In 2020 the school received the green light from the department that the project was to proceed to construction.
A local company, Dorrian Construction, was awarded the contract. Mr Cannon commended them for their superb effort.
He also thanked Letterkenny architects MH Associates who he said successfully knitted the old build with the new build seamlessly.
Mr Cannon praised the parents, staff, the Board of Management and the wider community for their collective effort. Their sustained motivation through what
Mr Cannon described as a “frustrating” and “protracted process” is what made the project possible.
“It has been a fantastic development for the children, their parents and the staff, who have all been re-energised by the quality of the build,” added Mr Cannon.
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