Concerns new primary school on outskirts of Wexford will not be big enough – ‘It should be triple that size’
Wexford PeopleA new primary school in Wexford town will not be big enough to cater for the projected increase in population in the county over the coming years according to Labour councillor Vicky Barron. Currently the principal of the CBS Primary School, Cllr Barron said the eight-classroom Educate Together school proposed for the Killeens site will quickly become over-subscribed unless it’s expanded.
She was speaking at the monthly meeting of Wexford County Council (WCC) where county architect Shay Howell provided a further update on the progress of the Killeens project which, among others, includes a new SETU campus, a new Wexford FC stadium, over 300 social houses, and both a primary and secondary school.
“The existing Educate Together Primary School is an eight-classroom building and caters for approximately 178 pupils,” she said. “A 16-classroom school is 376 pupils. Do we need to submit a motion to the Department of Education asking it to recognise the need for forward planning here, this school may be suitable for now but the department needs to look at the town’s needs going forward.”
She received support from Cllr Tom Forde, who teaches at the current Educate Together school in Wexford.
“This school will not be big enough, I would ask that the council use whatever influence it has in relation to this,” he said. “It should be triple that size, particularly given that more houses are being developed as part of this project.”
However, chief executive Eddie Taaffe said it was not within WCC’s remit to offer instructions to the educational bodies.
“It’s not our role to dictate to the Education and Training Board (ETB) and the Department of Education about school sizes, that’s their primary function,” he said. “In the land available they are accommodating a primary and secondary school and a GAA pitch. We’d love to be buying more land for this, but we’re not, so we have to make the best of what we’ve got.”
That land will see the development of up to 300 social and affordable houses with 60 of those already under construction and expected to be completed next year. With the SETU campus set to bring a mass influx of students to Wexford, Cllr Leonard Kelly asked whether WCC would provide accommodation for young scholars.
“Is WCC working with SETU to provide on-site accommodation for students?”
“We are looking at a site for student accommodation, we will not be building it, but we will facilitate any proposal,” replied Mr Taaffe.