Questions remain despite Ministerial meeting over Portlaoise's Kolbe Special School

Minister of State Sean Fleming met with Minister for Education Norma Foley this week to discuss Kolbe Special School in Portlaoise.  

Minister Fleming described his meeting with Minister Foley as “constructive and positive” and said it left him more confident that the issue will be dealt with in the “immediate” future. The exchange followed a public meeting in Portlaoise. 

“I refer to the public meeting last week in connection with Kolbe Special School.  I gave an undertaking at the meeting to follow up this urgent and vital matter on behalf of the entire school community,” said Minister Fleming. 

“I was pleased to meet with the school Principal Orlagh Mahon, Brother Matthew Hayes (Chairman of the Board) and some parents in the school on Tuesday 28th March,” he said.  

“I undertook to speak in person with Minister Norma Foley TD in the Dáil on Wednesday.  This was a helpful, constructive and positive meeting with the Minister,” he added. 

“As I said at the public meeting, I was confident that this matter would be resolved in the immediate future.  Arising from my meeting with Minister Foley I am more confident that this will be dealt with in the immediate future,” said Minister Fleming. 

He also thanked everybody who attended the public meeting, all who had contacted him and he welcomed the support from all the people of Laois in getting this matter resolved.

“We all want to the same outcome: the new Kolbe Special School to be approved to go to tender as urgently as possible,” he said. 

“Please be assured I will keep in contact with you in relation to Kolbe Special School,” said Minister Fleming.

The #PrioritiseKolbe Committee, which is made up of Kolbe Special School management, staff and parents, issued a statement in response to the Minister Fleming's statement. 

“It doesn't in any way address the three simple questions we have repeatedly raised with Deputy Fleming,” they said. 

“Does Kolbe remain on the list of 58 affected schools? Deputy Fleming told the public meeting that it was accepted at the highest levels within the Department of Education that Kolbe was placed on the list in error and would be taken off and put to tender within days,” they asked. 

“Did Minister Foley give Deputy Fleming an anticipated timeframe for when the Kolbe new build can go to tender?” they said. 

“ Can a meeting be facilitated by Deputy Fleming between Minister Foley or her representatives and school staff and parents?,” they asked.  

“Our campaign has had ongoing difficulties in eliciting any information regarding the new build from either Minister Foley or the Department of Education,” they said. 

“Parents have had to resort to filing FOI(Freedom of Information) requests for information that should be available to all stakeholders,” the committee added. 

Speaking after the statement was issued by Prioiritise Kolbe, Minister Fleming said he came away from the public meeting in Portlaoise with one message and that was to get the school to tender.   

“Will they be given permission to go to tender? That is the one issue I am focusing on,” he explained. 

Education Minister asked to stop playing games on Portlaoise's Kolbe Special School

“I have been asked to do one thing, get permission to go to tender,” he repeated. 

Minister Fleming said he was “singularly focused” on achieving that goal.