School projects being held up over failure to release funding

By Philip Rooney, The Sligo Champion

Ongoing delays concerning major projects at three Sligo schools, Gaelscoil Cnoc na Rí, Grange Post Primary School and Ursuline College Sligo have been described as “unacceptable” with one of the projects in danger of planning permission expiring as a result of “a lack of political will and the release of funding from the Department of Education.”

That’s according to councillor Marie Casserly who has called on the Minister for Education to immediately release funding and commence the long-delayed school building projects saying that the situation has now reached crisis point for students, staff, and families.

The three projects have been stuck in limbo for years, despite each being well advanced within the Department’s school building programme and fully ready to move to construction, she said.

“These schools have done everything asked of them — completed design work, secured planning permission, and complied fully with Departmental processes,” said Cllr. Casserly. “And yet, they are still waiting. The only thing missing now is political will and the release of funding from the Department of Education.”

Cllr. Casserly described the ongoing delays as unacceptable and deeply damaging, citing health and safety concerns, overcrowded conditions, and the risk of planning permission expiring for one of the projects.

Gaelscoil Cnoc na Ré is operating in severely overcrowded temporary accommodation, which is no longer fit for purpose.

Grange Post Primary School urgently needs an extension to accommodate its growing enrolment and ensure safe learning conditions.

Ursuline College Sligo has waited years for a complete rebuild, but its planning permission is now at risk of expiring due to Departmental inaction.

“This is a complete failure of delivery,” Cllr. Casserly continued. “These projects are not new ideas, they have been worked on for years. Millions have already been spent on design and planning, but there is nothing tangible to show for it on the ground. That is simply not acceptable.”

Cllr. Casserly also criticised the lack of transparency from the Department, stating that every enquiry made over the past two years has been met only with a generic response that ‘the Minister is looking into this.’

“Parents, teachers, and students deserve real answers — not the same copy-and-paste reply every few months,” she said. “It’s time for accountability. I want a detailed response from the Department officials responsible for these projects, setting out exactly what’s causing the delays and when construction will start.”

Cllr. Casserly warned that further inaction could see the Ursuline College project lose its planning permission, forcing a new application and wasting years of work and public funds.

“If that happens, it will be an outrageous misuse of taxpayers’ money and an unforgivable blow to the school community,” she said. “We need urgent intervention from the Minister to get these projects moving — not next year, not next term, but now.”

Cllr. Casserly is calling for a clear, published timeline for funding release and commencement of works for all three Sligo schools, and has vowed to keep the pressure on until the Department delivers.

“The message from Sligo is clear - enough delays, enough excuses. It’s time for action.”