Department admits key Wicklow school builds could be delayed until end of decade

By Hugh O'Farrell Walsh, The Wicklow People

Several long-awaited school building projects in County Wicklow could remain stalled for years, with construction unlikely to begin before 2028 or 2029 in some cases, a senior Department of Education official has confirmed.

The issue was raised by Sinn Féin TD John Brady at a recent meeting of the Public Accounts Committee, where he warned that the State is failing to keep pace with rapid population growth in north Wicklow, particularly in the Greystones and Newtownmountkennedy areas.

The Wicklow TD highlighted several schools that have secured planning permission, but remain stuck at Stage 2B of the Department’s building process, meaning they have not progressed to tender or construction and are not included on the current list of priority projects.

Among them is Newtownmountkennedy Primary School, which originally received planning permission in 2018 and revised that permission in 2023.

Despite this, the project has yet to advance and falls outside the Department’s five year construction framework.

He also cited St Kevin’s National School in Dunlavin, which he described as “badly needed” and widely publicised, but still delayed years after initial commitments were made. Another project raised was the long running redevelopment of Loreto Secondary School in Bray, which aims to increase capacity to 1,000 pupils. Students there have been taught in prefabs for more than two decades.

Deputy Brady said repeated political assurances had been given about Loreto’s progress, including claims in 2021 and 2024 that the project would move to tender, but said it remains stalled.

“What we are hearing now is that because these schools are not on the priority list, nothing will be done until at least the end of 2027,” he said, warning that this could push construction out by a further year or more.

In response, secretary general of the Department of Education Bernie McNally said the Department must work within fixed budgetary limits, despite growing demand in certain areas. She said the Department has delivered a school place for every child nationally but acknowledged that resources are finite.

Senior Department official Hubert Loftus said Wicklow currently has eight school projects under construction, with three more due to go to tender and construction in 2026 and 2027. He said projects like those named by Deputy Brady could be considered for tender in 2027 as part of a new prioritisation process, with construction envisaged for 2028 or 2029.

However, Mr Loftus said priority would be given nationally to special schools, schools without permanent accommodation and those facing the most acute demographic pressures.

A separate discussion focused on whether Newtownmountkennedy requires a new secondary school. Deputy Brady argued demand has been underestimated, citing more than 1,000 new housing units built in the area since 2022 and continued pressure on school places.

Department official Emma Leonard said the Department is closely monitoring growth in Wicklow and engaging with the local authority as development plans are reviewed. She said existing capacity in nearby Greystones and Kilcoole is currently considered sufficient, but stressed the situation remains under ongoing review.

The Wicklow TD warned that failure to act now risked storing up another crisis.

“We are behind the curve,” he said. “By the time the process catches up, families will once again be scrambling for places.”

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