ETB school projects progress

Progress is being made across the board on school projects being delivered locally under the auspices of the Cavan-Monaghan Education and Training Board (CMETB).

The projects include both ETB run schools and non ETB run secondary and national schools in both counties.

Updates were provided by the ETB’s buildings officer, Bernie Power, when board members met for their May monthly meeting.

They were informed that modular accommodation (six classrooms, a Special Education Needs (SEN) unit and GP Hall) at St Bricin’s College in Belturbet would be fully delivered by July of this year, and planning for four specialist rooms (Art, Music, Science & Woodwork) plus one Special Education & Training (SET) room at St Mogue’s in Bawnboy have been submitted to planners at Cavan County Council.

Three single storey buildings will be demolished to make way for the new modular accommodation at St Mogue’s, and a decision is due in June.

Funding of almost €140,000 has, meanwhile, been allocated to St Mogue’s under the Emergency Works scheme to provide new emergency lighting at the school, and sewerage and drainage works are also planned.

Plans for modular/temporary accommodation at the Royal School in Cavan to provide for two SEN base and four general classroom have also been moved, and the ETB is also overseeing the proposed development of a new PE Hall there.

Elsewhere a design team report has been submitted to the department in respect of a planned extension to Inver College (two SET rooms, Textile Room, Music Room, Science lab and prep area), and “approval” is needed before moving to the next stage.

Similarly, progress is awaiting for Beech Hill College (six classrooms, four SET rooms, Multimedia Room, Woodwork Room/prep area, two Science Labs, three-classroom SEN base and ancillary); while plans to build a three-classroom SEN base extension plus ancillary accommodation at Castleblayney College are expected to progress in the coming months.

There are plans too to install modular accommodation at both Inver and Castleblayney Colleges, the latter to provide for three additional classrooms, GP Hall, and toilets.

Emergency works are planned for Ballybay Community College (emergency lighting); Beech Hill (disability access to sports field and emergency lighting); Breifne College (emergency lighting and fire alarm works); Castleblayney (universal toilet); St Bricin’s (toilet facilities).

Summer works finally will see the science lab refurbished and roof upgraded at Castleblayney College; a roof upgrade at Beech Hill; and investment in the science lab and life safety systems at Inver College.

As for non ETB schools, there are plans for an eight general classrooms extension, GP Hall, Library, two SET rooms, staff room, storage, toilets, offices, multi-purpose room at Castleblayney Gaelscoil Lorgan; five general classrooms, library, offices, multi-purpose room, staff room, GP Hall, stores, toilets at Rockcorry Scoil Mhuire; a mainstream classroom and ensuite, two ASD classrooms and ensuite shower area at Edenmore Primary School; PE Hall at Monaghan Collegiate; and two SEN base classrooms and one additional main classroom at Doohamlet NS.

Modular accommodation has been sought for Doohamlet and Rockcorry Scoil Mhuire also.

“We’re reducing the number of projects as determined,” explained ETB buildings officer Bernie Power when she briefed board members on the developments at their May monthly meeting.

Independent Brendan Fay said it was “fantastic to see money being spent” on schools across the region, while Aontú’s Sarah O’Reilly stated that the ETB was helping to “provide for the educational future of children in the area”.

Fellow board member Joe McGrath asked that the ETB “never build a flat roof again on any building the ETB owns”.