06-08-2025
- Politics
- Irish Independent
No firm timeline for new building project at west Wicklow college
The school in west Wicklow received planning permission in 2024 for a project which would remove the existing temporary accommodation on the site and replace it with a new three-storey, 1,000 pupil secondary school.
The facility is due to include a sports hall, special needs suite, toilet, general purpose hall, changing facilities, a social area and a library.
The project was already pushed back from December 2024 to September 2025, and now that date will also be missed.
The project, which has been devolved to the Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board was expanded in 2023 to cater for 1,000 students and six special education needs classrooms.
Campaigners have been insistent that the new school should accommodate 1,000 students in a completely new build, as the Department's initial plans were to include modular classrooms for up to 800 pupils.
The proposal will also see the reconfiguration of the existing pedestrian and vehicular entrance to the site, including bicycle parking, car parking and set-down areas.
The project is being delivered under the Department's ADAPT Programme, which uses an external project manager to co-ordinate and drive the project through the relevant stages of architectural planning, tender and construction.
Following a parliamentary question from Sinn Fein TD for Wicklow John Brady, Education Minister Helen McEntee said the plans remain at the design stage.
'It is anticipated that the procurement process for this project will commence during 2026.'
'It is not possible to provide a timeframe for the progression of the project to tender and construction stages until such time as the necessary statutory approvals have been secured.'
'My Department will keep the school and patron body informed of the progression of this project through the stages of architectural planning.' she added.
