St Aidan’s seek new extension

The board of management at St Aidan’s Comprehensive is seeking planning permission to build a single-storey extension to the southeast of the existing school facility in Cootehill but is pushing for further funding to also build a new gym and social space.

The new extension, if permitted, will accommodate two new engineering rooms, one engineering preparation room, student lockers and toilet facilities. The proposed development would require the partial demolition of the existing woodwork room.

Permission is also sought for a new pedestrian path along the northeast boundary of the site, alterations to the existing carpark, a new pedestrian entrance, a new carpark, and a bus parking area to the southeast of the site.

The plans also provide for all ancillary works and connection to existing services.

Last week, Cavan Fine Gael’s Senator Joe O’Reilly raised the need for urgent investment at the local secondary school.

Addressing Kieran O’Donnell, Minister of State with responsibility for Local Government and Planning, in the Seanad, Senator O’Reilly said a “proud past pupil” outlined how the St Aidan’s required a new gymnasium.

“The reason it needs a new gymnasium is that it is currently using a general purpose hall for PE. The hall is not suitable because it has steps, a stage and windows,” stated the local Oireachtas member who outlined that a request for investment was first made as far back as 1998.

“At that time, the school had 400 students. It now has 620,” noted Sen O’Reilly. “The general purpose hall is not suitable. There could be three PE classes at the one time but only one can use the hall. There is a small canteen alongside the general purpose hall in which 60 of the 620 students can sit at any one time so students are sitting on the floor or in corridors to have their lunch. It is highly unsatisfactory.”

He said that if St Aidan’s did get a new gymnasium that “the strategy” would be to turn the general purpose hall into a seating area to be used for lunch. “We all know about the wellness programme. The Government puts great emphasis on mental wellness for young people. It is important that young people sit down and have their lunch together at lunchtime. A seating area is needed so that people are not sitting around on the floors and in the corridors. It is really a ghastly situation.”

Sen O’Reilly concluded by saying: “We are living in different times now and it can be afforded. The school has exercised great restraint. The principal, the board of management, the teachers and the pupils have exercised great restraint in bad times in the understanding that we could not get everything we wanted at once. However, that excuse no longer exists. This is a priority. It should and must be done.”

The local senator was told that the Department of Education had “recently received” an application from St Aidan’s seeking funding for a new PE hall and social space for students.

“The application by St Aidan’s Comprehensive School for a PE hall will be considered as part of this future PE build and modernisation programme,” Minister O’Donnell replied.

A frustrated Sen O’Reilly however shot back that the current situation faced by students at the school “cannot be allowed to continue”, and voiced his dissatisfaction that there “is not a specific commitment to this project”.

“I appeal again, through the Minister of State, to the Minister for Education to give a commitment to build this project as a stand-alone and necessary exercise. It is not the normal application for a gymnasium. There is an emergency need to provide a sitting area for lunch, a gymnasium and combined PE and general wellness facilities. It is crucial that this is done.”

Minister O’Donnell accepted the points raised by Sen O’Reilly.

“I will personally take up the matter with the Minister for Education on the Senator’s behalf. I understand the Senator’s commitment to it. He highlighted what he knows to be a major capacity issue on the ground.”