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23 Oct 2025

New €20m school building approved in Limerick

The new structure will include 37 classrooms

New €20m school building approved in Limerick

Monaleen NS's now-old school building

THE CONSTRUCTION of an over €20million state-of-the-art new school building for Monaleen National School has been approved.

The new school building, which will have 37 classrooms, will be built on the existing 4.7 acre grounds.

The works will include the demolition of the existing single storey school buildings and the construction of a new 2 storey school building with 32 classrooms, 5 SEN classrooms, a GP room, a library, resource rooms, a staff room and ancillary accommodation, all measuring approximately 6,000sqm.  

Associated site works 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.

This project, managed by Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board (ETB), represents a "milestone moment" for the community, according to Limerick TD and Minister of State Kieran O’Donnell.  

Construction on the school, which currently houses approximately 800 students, will begin "very shortly," he said.

Minister O’Donnell, who is based in Monaleen, received confirmation from Limerick and Clare ETB this Thursday, July 31, that the Department of Education has approved the appointment of building contractors Coolsivna Construction Limited for the project.  

Minister O’Donnell said he has been working with the school on this project "over many years," along with local Fine Gael colleague, Councillor Peter Doyle. 

Minister O’Donnell said: "Having worked with all at Monaleen National School, I very much welcome the confirmation given to me today 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. 

“When this major new school building project is completed, it will be a fantastic enhancement in teaching facilities and amenities for the 800 plus pupils and teaching staff.  

“I appreciate the frustration of parents, pupils, and the school with the lengthy process here. However, we now have the building contractor appointed with the construction of the new state-of-the-art school to get underway very shortly.  

READ MORE: Community spirit plays centre field in the reopening of soccer club grounds in Limerick

“This is another key milestone and critical step forward in progressing this much required new national school building project at Monaleen National School, where we see significant population growth.   

“Having consistently worked on this vital project, I will continue to work with all at Monaleen National School, school principal Ian Madigan, school board chair Dr Paddy Connolly and board members, parents association and the Limerick and Clare ETB to ensure the construction of this new 37 classroom state-of-the-art school building is completed as fast as it can be done.  

“In order to advance this vital school project, I previously requested and arranged with the Department of Education for the new school building project to be devolved to Limerick and Clare ETB on the basis that the LCETB are locally based and bring a wealth of expertise and experience in delivering school building projects in Limerick and Clare,” Minister O’Donnell concluded.

Labour councillor for Limerick City East, Elena Secas, has also welcomed the green light for Stage 4 Construction for the school.
Cllr Secas said: "I am delighted with the news that the LCETB have now been granted the green light to proceed to the construction stage of Monaleen NS.
"I am pretty sure many people will take the news with a pinch of salt given the almost a decade delay in the delivery of this project.
"This delay was totally unnecessary and was to the detriment of the school community. 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", Cllr Secas concluded.

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