Calasanctius College in Oranmore has been successful in its application to the Department of Education for additional accommodation.
The application was submitted with a view to extending the school, which has had to turn away large numbers of students in recent years due to capacity limitations. Funding will be provided for an extension of the school to substantially increase its current capacity of around 800 students.
The application was supported by local Fine Gael TD, Minister of State Hildegarde Naughton. “I have been in contact with many parents of children in the local catchment area of Calasanctius College, and I’ve been aware of the capacity issues for some time,” said Minister Naughton, who is a former student of the school.
'Rapidly growing population'
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There were 318 applications for places in first year at the school in 2020/21, while its official enrolment figure was just 168. There were still 62 applicants on the school’s waiting list at the end of last September.
“This was very upsetting for families with children in local schools who had a long tradition of attending Calasanctius College over the years. The school has done its utmost to accommodate as many applicants as possible,” explained Minister Naughton.
“It’s also the case that Oranmore has a rapidly growing population and we need the development of facilities and infrastructure to keep pace with that growth. That includes ensuring an adequate number of school places for children in the local catchment area.”
