Images of the damage and some of the stolen vehicles
Search
05 Apr 2026
Search
05 Apr 2026
Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content.
Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist.
If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter .
Support our mission and join our community now.
To continue reading this article, you can subscribe for as little as €0.50 per week which will also give you access to all of our premium content and archived articles!
Alternatively, you can pay €0.50 per article, capped at €1 per day.
Thank you for supporting Ireland's best local journalism!
Gaelscoil Phortlaoise to undergo structural testing
A second Laois school has confirmed that it is one of the 31 schools built by Western Building Systems in need of urgent structural examination.
Three Dublin schools have now been closed after structural deficiencies were discovered in the walls during fire audits, one last weekend and two more on Tuesday October 24. See more here.
Gaelscoil Phortlaoise is one of three in the Summerhill school campus in Portlaoise built by the company in a rapid build for the Department of Education in 2013. It has 393 pupils.
Portlaoise Educate Together NS with 320 pupils has issued a notice to parents on Tuesday to confirm it will also be tested. Read here.
Maryborough NS with 94 pupils is yet to confirm any testing.
A fourth school may be affected, Portarlington Presentation Primary School, built by WBS in 2009, with some 740 pupils.
Principal Dominic Ó Braonán confirmed to the Leinster Express this Wednesday October 24 that the Gaelscoil will be tested by engineers over the mid term break.
"It has come to light that our building was identified as one of the 31 schools constructed by Western Building Systems which will require an independent structural survey. We understand that this survey will take place over the mid term break when staff and pupils are on holidays".
He has said that there is no indication of any immediate danger.
"We the Board of Management have not been given any information that indicates any immediate danger to persons in our school building, nor any reason why our school should not operate as normal".
He made the statement on behalf of the Board of Management.
"Gaelscoil Phortlaoise was one of the schools selected in 2018 for a fire audit by the Department of Education. An audit was carried out and an assessment report issued to our school in June 2018" the principal also said.
The school has not yet issued information to parents.
"Our patron body An Foras Pátrúnachta has been in contact with the department and will communicate any further information as it emerges," Mr Ó Braonán said.
Subscribe or register today to discover more from DonegalLive.ie
Buy the e-paper of the Donegal Democrat, Donegal People's Press, Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles.
Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm.
This publication supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice of the Press Council. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at www.presscouncil.ie, Lo-call 1800 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie.
