Contractors move on site at Tipperary school after delays to science lab upgrade
Contractors are now on site at a Tipperary secondary school to begin a major upgrade of its science labs after delays held up the project.
St Mary’s Secondary School in Nenagh was approved for funding to upgrade two of their science labs over the summer holidays, but delays in getting official sign off held up the project.
Now, it has been confirmed that the project has moved on, and that contractors are on site getting the labs upgraded.
Under the plans for the labs, contractors have been appointed to refurbish the science rooms, including structural and aesthetic improvements.
New lab equipment and fixtures will be installed, with electrical and plumbing infrastructure upgrades, as well as new CO2 monitors with traffic light display indicators for air quality control, tender documents show.
The issue was previously raised in the Dáil by north Tipperary TD Ryan O’Meara who asked if there was any way the Government could push the issue on.
“They’ve been approved for their science labs, the tender is done, and the proposed contractor is to be appointed,” Deputy O’Meara said at the time.
“Essentially, the school is going to be somewhat of a building site, certainly up until Christmas, but the sooner we can get it started, the better.
“That will mean that although they have to manage for the start of the academic year from September to Christmas, with getting the work done in the labs while the school is still running, the sooner we can get going this summer, the less time it will impact on the academic year,” the Fianna Fáil TD told the Dáil.
Deputy O’Meara said that it was “great to get the money” for the upgrades in the school, but that making sure that the project got off the ground was equally important.
St Mary’s Secondary School in Nenagh was one of 14 schools across Tipperary to be awarded funding from the Department of Education’s Climate Action Summer Works Scheme, which places an emphasis on lab upgrades.
Other schools in the county to be included were St Anne’s Secondary School in Tipperary town, Moyglass National School, Newport College, and Annacarty National School.
The €90million scheme allows schools to undertake measures such as insulation upgrades, LED lighting installation, EV charger provision, bike rack facilities to support active travel, as well as upgrade their science labs.