New all-Irish secondary school could be open in two years

All things going to plan, the new Coláiste na Coiribe secondary school in Knocknacarra could be opening its doors to pupils in two years’ time.

Neighbouring residents of Fána Búrca, off the Western Distributor Road, were successful in their appeal to An Bórd Pleanála to ensure that the new premises is fully secured each evening and at the weekends, as the pedestrian entrance is from their estate.

The residents of Fána Búrca had asked Galway City Council for a lockable gate on the school and for signage to be erected in the approach to the school to close access to the pedestrian access at weekends and evenings.

When it wasn’t included as a condition of the planning permission granted to the Irish language school, they appealed to the Planning Board.

Their appeal was supported in writing by Councillor Catherine Connolly, who, she stresses, is fully supportive of the new school premises being built but agrees with residents that certain measures had to be taken to ensure that it would be a secure site during out of school hours.

Cllr Connolly said she was delighted to receive a letter from An Bórd Pleanala telling her the appeal had been granted. It now gives full planning permission for the 720 pupil school to be built but with 19 conditions attached.

The location of the new Irish language secondary school is on lands acquired by the City Council at Ballyburke with the main entrance from the Ballymoneen Road.

“I am delighted it has come through with those conditions because they were important to the local residents and I supported them.

“It now means the school gate can be locked in the evenings and at weekends rather than it having open access. It also means there will be proper signage erected in the estate and the school will have to come up with a traffic management plan, as was the case with the primary school nearby, St John Apostle,” she said.

Furthermore she said she facilitated a meeting between the City planners and a delegation representing the Fána Búrca estate, where the residents articulated their very real health and safety concerns in relation to the need for a traffic plan to prevent school traffic using the Fána Búrca estate as a through way and/or drop off point and also the need for a gate on the pedestrian/cycle entrance from the estate to the new school. This gate, they said could be open during the day to allow full pedestrian/cycle access and closed in the evening.

It is hoped that if the tendering process is completed in four months that construction, which is expected to take anything between 15 to 18 months, the school will be open for the new school term of September 2015.