‘The need is there’ - Call for new secondary School in Meath village as population surges
Calls for a new secondary school in Duleek have intensified amid rapid population growth and rising pressure on local primary schools.
Fianna Fáil councillor Stephen McKee, tabled a motion at this month’s meeting of the Laytown–Bettystown Municipal District, asking Meath County Council to call on the Department of Education to “make provision” for a secondary school in the village.
He said the “significant local population, strong feeder-school network, and the fact that the national schools in Duleek cater for more than 700 boys and girls” underline the need for a secondary school.
In response, Meath County Council acknowledged the scale of growth in Duleek over the past two decades, noting that its Forward Planning team meets with the Department of Education twice a year to assess population trends and future school requirements across the county.
Council officials confirmed that, as part of the early stages of the Meath County Development Plan 2027–2033 review, they will seek a meeting with the Department at their “earliest availability” to highlight the pace of development in Duleek and convey councillors’ concerns.
They also said they will request clarity on whether a secondary school is planned for the area.
“While the decision to provide a secondary school is not within the control of Meath County Council, the Forward Planning Team will ensure that there is sufficient community zoning to cater for this need in the coming years,” the local authority said.
Cllr McKee welcomed the response, saying that “to have a secondary school in Duleek would be massive.”
Sinn Féin councillor — and school principal — Maria White also supported the motion, saying: “The need is there. Schools for me are the heart of a community.”