Enfield community "bitterly disappointed" at stalling of school building project

News that the permanent school for Enfield Community College is among 58 projects nationwide that have been stalled by the Department of Education due to funding issues, has been greeted with bitter disappointment by the school community.

Just weeks after the Meath Chronicle questioned the reason for the delay in the project going out to tender, the Department of Education has now confirmed it is one of the projects being paused while it reviews its capital programme amid funding pressures.

School Principal Shane Foley said parents are very disappointed and were not going to take it lying down and want their school built.

He also questioned the value in stalling the project given the "astronomical cost" of providing modular temporary accommodation, with the school set to move to a second temporary modular school building in September because of the delay in progressing their permanent school building.

"We weren't expecting that level of cessation of projects that were in the pipeline," Mr Foley said of this week's announcement.

"The big question is, what is the value of stalling these projects? The costs are astronomical for modular temporary accommodation.

"All of the work that goes with a permanent building- the design team, the project manager, the full range of professionals- are also employed on temporary accommodation."

"How much is it costing to put the temporary school in place? It is quite an elaborate provision for 450 students with 20 general classrooms and 10 specialist rooms.

"How much did it cost for the temporary accommodation we are in now, and how much will be spent on the second temporary school?

"Who is responsible for making these decisions to not progress a school like Enfield and spend so much on temporary accommodation in the interim?

Mr Foley, who is also President of the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals, said it is "absolutely imperative" that once realigned funding is found that Enfield is prioritised and goes to tender immediately.

Meath West Sinn Féin TD Deputy Johnny Guirke who raised the issue in the Dáil has also hit out at the pausing of the construction of the New Enfield Community College building.

"This is a disgraceful decision to hold up an already delayed project for the Enfield community and surrounding areas. Parents have planned their kids' schooling from an early age, and a decision like this will not just hold up one year of students but a whole backlog of years as children will be left in temporary classrooms for the foreseeable future."

"When Enfield Community College opened in 2020, it had a clear plan set out with a new build completion date of 2023. Unfortunately, this project will now be held up with no completion date stated.

"I would call on the Minister for Education to come to Enfield and meet with local representatives and explain to us why this project is delayed, and when it might be completed. "

Local councillor and member of the Enfield Community College Board of Management Aisling Dempsey said: "To say I’m disappointed at the news of the halting of the construction of the permanent school is an understatement.

"A secondary school in Enfield has been needed for decades at this stage. And has been campaigned vigorously for by local reps like myself and the general public and community groups.

"Meath County Council has facilitated a temporary school at its facility in the centre of Enfield which has only proven the great need for a permanent home, as student numbers have surpassed expectations year on year.

"Enfield CC has outgrown its current location and while the school led by Shane Foley are doing an excellent job, a permanent home is what they need to offer the full complement of subjects and opportunities to the youth of Enfield.

"Enfield deserves more than our secondary school being moved from one temporary location to another and I will continue to engage with the Department of Education to get this project back on track and delivered."

Cllr Dempsey raised the issue at this afternoon's meeting of Trim Municipal District Council with councillors agreeing to write as a council to the Department to express their dissatisfaction and concern over the stalling of the project.

Parent Frank Hughes said: "Parents of pupils and parents with prospective pupils for the school I have spoken to in this fast-growing town are bitterly disappointed with the news of this further delay to the new secondary school but are heartened that the Taoiseach himself has undertaken to solve the Capital Funding shortfall before Easter and get the school construction for 2025 back on track."

Mr Hughes, who is architect with experience of large scale development projects, said where a project with a fixed deadline is delayed for unforeseen circumstances, the time lost is made up for by adding additional resources to shorten the procurement timeline.

"In the case of the new school, this means reducing the Tender Assessment Period by Department of Education by either adding staff internally or outsourcing the necessary consultants to deliver the building on time. This is a very simple maths exercise."

He added that if the Department choose not to follow the industry standard of how to make up for this lost time, "it says quite a lot about their true intent".