Doubts if school will be ready for 2010 as Kill NS site shuts down
PUPILS hoping to enrol at Kill National School next September could be denied a place.
Construction work on a new school, costing in the region of n10m, came to a halt last week. The building site was closed down after the contractor encountered financial difficulties.
The new 32-classroom structure was being built on a site adjacent to the existing school and the project is now likely to delayed for up to six months.
It will replace the existing eight classroom school, prefabs and temporary accommodation.
Principal Tom Cunnane told the Leader that the school may not be able to absorb all of the new pupils in September 2010.
"At the moment were are renting accommodation from the parish and this consists of two classrooms. These will not be able to cope with all of the new pupils coming in," he told the Leader.
Mr. Cunnane added that because the parish is anxious to have the building back the school could face bigger space problems - pending the eventual construction of the new school.
The Department of Education and Science will now have to find a new contractor and Mr. Cunnane hopes that the contractor who came next on the tender list will now be appointed.
"It would be helpful if the contract was given to the next company on the list and this is what we are working on," added Mr. Cunnane.
Nevertheless some pupils will not be able to enrol at the school until the following year.
The accommodation being rented from the parish is an old scouts hall divided into two classrooms and if this has to be returned before next September the accommodation crush will be greater.
"The fact that building work stopped is very disappointing for everybody and will cause a lot of inconvenience," added Mr. Cunnane.
Local councillor Tony Lawlor said he has been in contact with possible alternative contractors who were ready and willing to undertake the work but added it may be necessary to embark on a formal tendering process.
"Potentially their is a delay of 6 to 8 months before a new contractor is appointed and this will mean children will not be able to go to school as thought. It would be great if the school could open as planned in September," he said.
Orla Traynor of the parents council said the closure of the site came as a complete shock.
"It took many years to get the project approved and the last thing parents expected was that work would stop once it had started," she said, predicting that at least 28 pupils will have to spend an extra year at playschool.
"Parents feel that the Department should have ensured something like this would not happen. It is unbelievable," added Ms. Traynor.
Deputy Emmet Stagg has called on the Minister for Education to fast-track retendering of the project if the original contractor is not in a position to complete the project.
He added only seven tenders were received for the construction of the new building.
"Once an assessment and value has been placed on the work carried out to-date then the remaining six tenderers should be given the opportunity of bidding for the contract to complete it. We should not start from scratch as it is critical that work recommence on the project as soon as possible," he said.
He also said a bond is in place for the project to insulate the State from any additional costs that might arise in having the project completed.
Fianna Fail TD Michael Fitzpatrick accused opposition politicians of scaremongering.
"There was understandable concern and the project will have to go to tender again which will cause a delay of four to six months, but it will go ahead," he said.
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Thursday 17 May 2012
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