Laois school waits over seven years for ASD classrooms

A LAOIS primary school has waited more than seven years for special needs classrooms and a hall.

St Fintan’s NS in Mountrath is still awaiting a long-promised expansion that would provide much-needed ASD (autism spectrum disorder) classrooms, a sensory room and a general purpose hall.

The school, which has 123 pupils and two ASD classes, has tried to create space by sub-dividing rooms but still does not have enough to accommodate growing numbers.

The situation was described as “totally unacceptable” by Independent TD Brian Stanley, a past-pupil of the school, who raised the issue in Dáil Éireann with Taoiseach Micheál Martin.

Speaking in the Dáil last week, Deputy Stanley said the school would be under further pressure in September, yet a long-awaited expansion was still only at the first stage of planning.

He recalled that the Department of Education and Youth made a commitment more than seven years ago to a modular extension. This was later changed to ‘a devolved project’ and was given to the school to lead.

He said: “The delays with the provision of a modest extension to the school are totally unacceptable. It is long past time for this project to be moved on. The principal and staff are very concerned about it.

“The project - and I checked this again the other day - is only at stage 1A. Will the Taoiseach implore the Minister for Education and Youth to move on St Fintan's school in Mountrath?” 

The Taoiseach replied that he would raise the Mountrath school issue with the minister, saying: “There is, again, record funding for school buildings this year, with a particular focus on school extensions for special classes and special education. I will see what we can do in this case.”