No delays to CCA extension

THE extension to Coláiste Chraobh Abhann (CCA) in Kilcoole won’t be delayed by the Covid-19 crisis the Department of Education have confirmed.

Fianna Fáil spokesperson for Health, Stephen Donnelly TD, revealed he has been reassured by officials that work at the secondary school is still on track despite the recent building restrictions.

An extension to the school has been approved and is currently being overseen by the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA).

And the NDFA have told Deputy Donnelly they are currently in the process of appointing design teams to carry out the works.

Deputy Donnelly explained: ‘ The Department have confirmed they have not stopped their work on processing their plans for the extension.

‘ The NDFA have reassured me they will ensure that the project progresses to design stage, and they will obtain the necessary statutory planning permission, while moving the project onward to tender and construction in due course.’

Although a completion date has not yet been confirmed, Deputy Donnelly was quick to reassure parents who had grown concerned about the lack of progress on the planned works.

‘I have been working closely with the Department and the parents on this issue. It is absolutely vital that work on this extension continues apace as it is desperately needed,’ he said.

Citing the need for more school places in the area, the Deputy said it made ‘no sense whatsoever’ to force parents to drive their children to schools outside their locality.

‘ There has been talk of the school being extended for years but nothing has happened despite the Department knowing demand was always going to increase,’ he said.

‘Earlier this year we saw the result of that inaction when scores of parents living in Kilcoole were left distraught because their children failed to secure a place in the school.

‘It makes no sense whatsoever when we are trying to reduce traffic on our roads to make children travel out of the area to go to school.’

Underlining his point, Deputy Donnelly alluded to CCA’s academic achievements in recent years and vowed to make sure the Government fulfilled the promises it had made to parents and children in Kilcoole.

‘CCA is an absolutely fantastic school which has made remarkable progress since it opened. It has regularly been cited as one of the most improved schools in the country,’ said the Fianna Fáil TD.

‘In 2009 it had 18% of its students placed in Third Level but two years ago it placed 70% of its students in a college or University and now regularly secures Third Level places for more than 60% of its pupils.

‘For their remarkable success story to continue the extension needs to happen as soon as possible,’ continued Deputy Donnelly.

‘I will be making sure the new Government keeps their promise to the parents and children of Kilcoole.’