Go-ahead for new 25-classroom school for Buncrana’s Scoil Íosagáin

Scoil Íosagáin in Buncrana has been given the go-ahead to engage a contractor for the construction of a new school.

The school, which has an enrolment of almost 800, has been waiting for 20 years for a new building.

A letter of intent has been issued to the chairperson of the board of management  by the Department of Education, which allows the board to instruct and engage a contractor to proceed with the construction.

The project will involve the demolition of the existing Sacred Heart and St Columba’s School buildings, the relocation and removal of temporary buildings, and the construction of a new two-storey 25 classroom primary school incorporating eight classrooms for special needs. The new building of 6,335 square metres will be constructed in two phases. The third phase will involve the construction of three hardball courts, car parking and associated siteworks.

Confirming the development,  Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and Donegal TD Charlie McConalogue said: “I very much welcome this decision, and I am looking forward to the new school going to construction as soon as possible. I have been liaising with the Minister for Education, Norma Foley, over the last number of months, on this. I congratulate everyone involved at the school for their efforts in getting the project to this stage.

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“It’s great news that it has now got the go-ahead to proceed to construction. Scoil Iosagain, which has around 750 pupils, is more than 100 years old,” he added.

 “Scoil Iosagain is one of a few local school projects that is moving forward. I will continue to work with Minister Foley to progress the three-school campus at Crana College and the extension to Scoil Mhuire Secondary School as well. I’d like to thank my party colleague, Cllr Rena Donaghy, and local election candidate, Fionán Bradley, for their help with these local projects.”