‘Beyond belief’ as St Eunan’s College excluded from National Development Plan

A Donegal County Councillor has described the exclusion of Saint Eunan’s College from the National Development Plan as “beyond belief.”

The Letterkenny secondary school was overlooked in the National Development Plan rollout for 2026 and 2027.  St Eunan's College, which has 1,000 students, has faced significant issues with overcrowding, with students and staff having to use portacabins for classrooms due to a lack of adequate permanent facilities. The college, which was built in 1906, has not received major improvement works since the 1970s. 

Fianna Fáil Councillor Ciaran Brogan and his family previously attended St Eunan’s College. 

“I want to acknowledge and fully support the great work of the School Management, staff and pupils of St Eunan’s College,” he said. “Over the last long number of years, we’ve been working closely to try to progress the new school to the construction stage through the many different phases set out by the Department of Education. For the school not to be included in this programme of 2026 -2027 is absolutely and totally beyond belief for both me and my colleagues.”

Cllr Donal ‘Mandy’ Kelly has also criticised the decision, labelling it “not good enough.”

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Following the July 2025 National Development Plan (NDP) Review, the Irish government committed €102.4 billion for the 2026–2030 period. The rollout for 2026 and 2027 focuses on transitioning large-scale projects from planning into construction across several key sectors.

Cllr Brogan has put forward a motion for the next Letterkenny/Milford MD to seek a meeting with Minister for Education and Youth, Hildegarde Naughton TD, questioning how projects are now moved to the construction stage. 

“There certainly is something fundamentally wrong with this process and if so, it’s not fit for purpose and there must be total reexamination of this system,” he continues. “I can assure the great team at St Eunan’s College that I will leave no stone unturned until we get what is so badly needed to allow them to continue to provide top-quality education for our students in this area.”

The only school to receive funding across the county is St Columba’s, Stranorlar. Charles Ward, 100% Redress TD, has also expressed disappointment at the Department of Education's decision. 

"St Eunan’s is one of the largest post-primary schools in Donegal and has been under sustained pressure for many years due to overcrowding and ageing infrastructure," he said. "The school has planning permission in place for a long-awaited extension, granted in 2022, yet despite this level of readiness and clearly documented need, it was not included among the projects approved to progress at this stage.

"Based on the project lists published alongside the announcement, only one school project in Donegal was selected to move forward in this tranche. In other counties, several schools were approved to progress at the same time. This raises legitimate questions about how need, readiness, and regional balance are being assessed.

"This decision has real consequences for students, staff, and families. Overcrowding affects teaching and learning, places additional strain on staff, and limits access to specialist facilities. These pressures are well known and have been highlighted repeatedly.

"I will be seeking a clear explanation from the Minister for Education on the criteria applied, how projects were prioritised, and why a school of this scale, with planning permission already secured, was not included. I will also be seeking clarity on the future status of this project, particularly given the risk that planning permission could lapse if construction does not commence.

"This outcome adds to wider concerns in Donegal about the difficulty in securing major capital investment, even where projects are well advanced and the need is clearly established. I stand with the students, staff, and families of St Eunan’s College and will continue to raise this issue in the Dáil until a clear and credible pathway to funding is set out."

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme