Scoil Mhuire finally set for refurbishment job

Long-awaited refurbishment works will finally go ahead at Scoil Mhuire Girls NS following widespread pressure from the school’s parent’s association.
The school has waited 10 years for the works to begin, which includes the refurbishment of the school, upgrading the heating and bathrooms, and the addition of three new classrooms to replace its current prefabs.
Children have also been wearing their jackets in class due the inadequate heating system, according to Scoil Mhuire’s parent’s association.
This week, Minister for Education Jan O’Sullivan confirmed that refurbishment works for the school will go ahead with a letter of acceptance for the contractor being authorised.
This will mean that, subject to the contractor’s schedule, work will begin within the next two weeks.
In a letter to local Minister Frances Fitzgerald, O’Sullivan wrote: “I can understand the frustration of parents and staff with any delays to school building projects, but it is important that we are prudent in how we manage our expenditure.
“The work to profile expenditure for the year has now been completed. In relation to the specific project in Scoil Mhuire, this allows the letter of acceptance to issue from the school to the contractor for this project today [January 26].
“As the board of management is the client, we will be writing to the school to advise them that they are authorised to issue this letter of acceptance. It is a matter for the contractor to determine when work will begin onsite, but work will certainly begin within the next fortnight,” she said.
The news has been greatly welcomed by Scoil Mhurie’s parent’s association and principle Mary McIvor, who thanked all the parents, children, extended families and past pupils for all their help and support in achieving their goal in securing the building project.
A sixth class student from the school also wrote an open letter, voicing her concerns and what it is like to have no proper heating system in class.
“We have been waiting 10 years for our new school building which we were told would start when I was in senior infants. Almost seven years on and we still have no new extension. This year our school will be 120-years-old and even though it is a great school there are a few problems.
“One is that it’s really cold in the classroom in winter and some classes have to wear their coats indoors and pass around a heater. Another is that the third classes have to use outside toilets.
“I know that I will not be here when the building is finished but I would like to be here when it starts,” she said.