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Limerick schools submit expansion plans for new facilities
TWO secondary schools in Newcastle West have submitted plans to build new classrooms on their existing sites, a move that will allow them to expand their teaching facilities from next September.
Scoil Mhuire Agus Ide in Boher Bui intends to build a new two-classroom block to facilitate the opening of new school library within the current building, while the Desmond College at Gortboy is beginning the first phase of its expansion with the construction of a new two-storey classroom building.
Planning permission for the developments is currently being sought from Limerick County Council, and both schools hope to have the projects approved, built and ready for use for the start of the 2010/2011 academic year.
The principal of Scoil Mhuire Agus Ide, Sheilagh O'Mahony-Kennedy, said that the new classrooms, which will be built behind the school gym, will create the necessary space to open a library "in the heart of the school".
"We've been planning to open a full and accessible library for a long time. We have so many books and nowhere to put them. We decided that rather than putting it in a separate block we would place it right in the heart of the school.
"When these new classrooms are built, the glass block between the sixth year and second year resource areas will become the library. We're not only going to have books and reading space, but also computers and internet access for teaching purposes. We're very excited," she said.
Padraig Flanagan, principal of Desmond College, said that increasing student numbers will require the building of the new six-classroom block behind the school, which was opened in 2001.
"When the new school was opened, it was meant to cater for around 400 students. But we're rapidly approaching 500, so in that sense we're responding to need with the first phase of the expansion. We're lucky that we have a relatively large amount of space to build into," he said.
Mr Flanagan added that the rooms will be general purpose and will not be allocated to any particular year
He said that he hoped that in the current climate the school will be able to get a competitive quote for the project, and as it was a "relatively straightforward" build, it should be completed by next April or May.
However, the new classrooms are not expected to be used until the beginning of the next academic year.
Decisions on both school planning applications are due in early November.
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