Green light for construction start on new school building at the 'cold and cramped' Lismullen NS

The long-awaited new school building for Lismullen National School has been given the green light for construction.

Minister Thomas Byrne has confirmed that the Department of Education has given the go ahead for the much needed project.

Staff and parents have been campaigning for almost two decades for the new premises, pointing out the current building is not fit for purpose.

Children and staff endure cold, cramped conditions every day and regularly have to wear coats, hats and scarves indoors.

The school has no indoor facilities for PE, concerts or assembly and just one toilet for 25 members of staff.

Minister Byrne said the large scale capital project involves the construction of a new 16 classroom school, a hall and classrooms for children with special educational needs.

“The ‘approval to proceed to construction’ is significant milestone in the progression and delivery of this project. The next step will be boots on the ground building the much needed new school.

“I want to pay tribute to the local school community, the students, parents, staff and the principal for their perseverance in getting this project across the line."

Minister Helen McEntee, who had also been working at Government level on behalf of the local school community, added: “We have finally reached the point where building works are going to start on a new Lismullen NS.”

“Congratulations to school principal, Violet Molloy, former principal Jerry O’Donoghue and the hugely hardworking parents association. We are delighted that young people in Lismullen and the wider Walterstown community will have a high-quality education facility for many years into the future.

“This project has been many years in the making. Cllr Suzanne Jamal and I have been working with school management, Lismullen NS Parents Association, the Department of Education and Meath Co Council to progress it.”

“The Department of Education completed the last steps that were required to enable building works to start and issued the school with the formal letter of acceptance to confirm that the project has completed the tender action and award process. Every hurdle has now been crossed.

“Construction will start in the coming weeks and will take 20 months to complete. We will liaise with the school and Meath Co Council about traffic management and road safety, while building works are underway.

Part of the current school is 65 years old, with a new building added in 1992 and there are a lot of prefabs in use.

Earlier this year, teachers and parents spoke of the problems they have experienced over the years and their plight of children sitting in cold classrooms with their coats hats and scarves was raised in the Dáil.