Significant expansion to Limerick secondary school announced
A SIGNIFICANT expansion to a Limerick school has been announced.
A design team has been appointed for a significant extension to Castletroy College, Minister for Education Norma Foley announced on her visit to the Limerick secondary school last Friday afternoon.
The extension will include seven classrooms, four special education rooms, two graphics rooms, one art and craft room, one home economics room and one science lab.
The principal of Castletroy College Padraig Flanagan welcomed the announcement saying :“The extension is a result of an increase in student population.
“We were built in the year 2000 and had an extension built in 2008. Our capacity is 1,000 students but we now have 1,250 students and growing.
“We’re at capacity and are serving our local community only,” Mr Flanagan said.
Mr Flanagan said the extension is the result of being 25% over capacity at the school.
“We’ve been offered some temporary modular accommodation to tide us over in the meantime.
“We will be keeping it tight until the extension is completed.
“By just serving our local community we will be looking at having 1300 students this year so we certainly do need some temporary modular accommodation.”
Fianna Fail TD Willie O’Dea attended last week's ministerial visit.
“I very much welcome the announcement by Minister for Education, Norma Foley, who on a visit to the school has announced that a design team has been appointed for a significant extension to Castletroy College secondary school.
“The school has gone from strength to strength since it was founded in the year 2000, with a current enrolment of over 1200 pupils. Well done to the Principal, Padraig Flanagan, the Board of Management and all involved in bringing the project to this stage,” Deputy O’Dea added.
Speaking to students and staff, Minister Foley said: “It’s a great joy for me to be part of your story here today. The very ambitious project that the Department has announced for the school is a significant one, with a multi-million euro investment in the school. It is a project that matches the ambition that you have shown here since the year 2000, as you have grown and grown. It is an extraordinary vote of confidence by the local community in this school that students continue to come in great, great numbers. But they come as a reflection of the work that happens here every day. I look forward to this project moving at pace, enhancing all the more and giving greater opportunities to students who will come here in the coming years.”
He continued: “As an ETB we have a commitment to all of the students in our care. Part of that is our policy to ensure that all of our schools also have modern Special Education Needs facilities and Special Class provision. I am delighted to be able to say that Castletroy College is also committed to that provision and to the provision of Special Class education from September 2023. We are delighted that our policy of inclusivity, reaching out to everybody in our care and ensuring that they get the best possible education, is happening here. I commend the school on its results but also on the care and support it gives to its students.”
The new extension will feature a 2-classroom SEN facility, several General Classrooms, DCG Room, Science Laboratory, Art/Craft Room, Home Economics Room, Technology Room and multiple ancillary spaces.