COLAISTE BRIDE GRANTED FUNDING FOR A MAJOR EXPANSION
COLÁISTE Bríde in Enniscorthy has been granted capital funding for major development work to be carried out which will see a very significant increase in facilities at the school.
While the overall cost of the work has not been revealed, it’s believed it will be a multi-million euro project that will transform the facility.
School Principal Kiera O’Sullivan described the news as ‘fantastic’ and said it will transform the educational opportunities available to the students in the school.
Minister Paul Kehoe also welcomed the news and said the school was selected for funding under the states Additional Accommodation Scheme 2020.
‘ The recent period has been a stressful time for all of the students, parents and teachers who work or go to school in Enniscorthy,’ said Minister Kehoe.
‘ The staff at Coláiste Bríde are second to none and I know this highly significant announcement will be music to their ears,’ he added.
The work will see the development of six general classrooms, two science labs, one computer lab, a technology room, a home economics room and toilet facilities for assisted users being carried out.
Ms O’Sullivan said it will make a very significant difference to the school, which already enjoys an enviable reputation for the quality of education it provides to students.
In particular, she said the fact that access and assisted user facilities will be improved will make a big difference to the school.
Quick to praise the input of Deputy Principal, Niall Moynihan, in making the submission successful Ms O’Sullivan said a lot of hard work went on behind the scenes.
When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, Ms O’Sullivan said there was a fear within the school that it might affect their chances of getting approval so when word came through last week she said it was unbelievable.
‘It was just fantastic when we got word and I was so happy about it that I emailed the staff to let them know and I think it’s helped boost the morale of everyone during this difficult time,’ she said.
‘It’s brilliant news for us and it means will be able to be an absolutely all-inclusive school which is fantastic,’ she added.
Obviously,the current pandemic might have a bearing on the start date for the project but Ms O’Sullivan isn’t too concerned about that at the moment.
‘Obviously, it’s one thing seeing it on paper but I look forward to seeing the first machine on site,’ she said.
With regard to a possible time-frame for the work to begin she said ‘possibly by September, 2021’, but added that a lot of paperwork has to be done first to enable the tender stage of the process to take place and that’s something that can be done even during the pandemic.
‘It’s a national tender process so in some ways that makes it a bit easier for us because it’s out of our hands,’ said Ms O’Sullivan.
However, before a company can tender for the project it will have to get access to the site and that’s something that is dependant on restrictions in place.
‘ The next few weeks will tell a lot because a company can’t tender until they have visited the site,’ said Ms O’Sullivan.
She also highlighted the fact that the school doesn’t ordinarily ‘ask for much’.
‘We only ask for what we really need and I think that may have stood to us on this,’ she said.
‘We don’t look for funding unless we genuinely need it,’ she added.
Meanwhile, Minister Kehoe said it’s great for Enniscorthy to have some good news - especially amid all of the uncertainty surrounding the resumption of education throughout the country.
He welcomed the fact that the new buildings will replace five pre-fabs and added that it will represent a huge investment in the school.