Portlaoise property boom but schools and creches 'bursting at the seams'

Hundreds of new houses are being built in Portlaoise but all six of the town's primary schools are already full to the gills, highlighted by a local teacher and county councillor, Cllr Tommy Mulligan.

He tabled two motions to the July meeting of Laois County Council, highlighting the lack of places across all pre-schools, creches, primary and special needs classes in the town, while hundreds of new families continue to move in to the expanding town.

"I am hearing from young families around the town that they are waiting at least one year for creche, two years for pre-school. Some will start school without early childhood programme. 

"Is there a need for another special school? Can we send a letter to the Minister outlining the seriousness of it," Cllr Mulligan said.

He asked the council to consult with education agencies to make sure there are enough school places in Portlaoise in coming years.

"With the new building projects having commenced and the expected population projection there is an acute problem around school places. With most schools at capacity is there an awareness around the lack of availability of school places for pre-school, primary, post-primary and special classes?" his motion said.

"To my knowledge, primary places in Laois are at capacity. People don't want to go outside their town, they want to be educated in their own community with their friends," he said.

Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley seconded, outlining how one education body's proposal was rejected by the Department of Education.

Laois Offaly Education and Training Board (LOETB) had proposed to patron a new school if the Department paid to build it, but were turned down, reported a year ago in the Leinster Express / Laois Live.

"I support this as a member of the board of the Laois Offaly ETB. They have patronage of a secondary school, they have been actively involved to take on patronage of a primary school. We all know the demand for places in primary schools in the county, not just Portlaoise. Children in Aghnaharna are being bussed to Stradbally and the Holy Family Schools are across the road.

"Very disappointingly, the Department said they didn't see any problem and feeder schools should take the overflow. Raheen, Mountrath, Rathdowney, they are all bursting at the seems. If we are pushing all the children in Portlaoise to feeder schools, then they are all lobbying for bus places. The Department is not being realistic about this. The LOETB is determined to go back," she said.

"We always seem to be playing catchup. The patronage for Dunamase College (nearing construction stage) was passed in 2016. We've identified a problem for the last number of years. We need the department to accept our word that it is a problem," added Cllr Dwane Stanley. 

Cllr Barry Walsh who is from Ballyroan, 10km from Portlaoise, said that the new school there which opened seven years ago is now in need of an extension, and is now building a special needs unit. 

"I don't understand the department. The census figures showed this growth, surely they could forward plan," he said.

They agreed to write to Minister for Education Norma Foley and point out that the LOETB is willing to run a new school.Laois is the only county without an ETB primary school.

Cllr John King suggests that it also be raised again at the next LOETB meeting.

A second motion calls on Minister for Education Norma Foley to ensure there are enough special needs places in schools all over Laois.

"Many schools made application for Special Needs Education (SEN) classes. The official line is that no school without space will be sanctioned. One example is the Gaelscoil in Portlaoise. It has an existing site for a two classroom modular building, ready to go. The space and equipment is there but the department informed them that it hasn't been sanctioned," he said.

Cllr Aisling Moran seconded.

"There needs to be special needs classes in every school. Kids are going from towns to rural schools then there is no space left for the rural kids. There should be a five year projection, you generally know a year or two after a child is born," she said.

One year ago, Portlaoise school principals confirmed the shortage of places to the Leinster Express / Laois Live.

Dermot O’Connor is Deputy Principal at the Holy Family Senior School.

“This campus is full. There is a waiting list for all classes. In June the pressure is no different than at admission time in January. People are coming now looking for places for September. They tell us they have got accommodation or they are buying a new house, there’s new houses going up all around us. 

“A lot of them expect that when they see a school from the bedroom window, they can send their children there, but there isn’t space,” he had said in June 2023.

Last year, 455 new homes were built in Portlaoise. 

Portlaoise's population has more than doubled in 15 years, shooting up from 11,000 in 2006 to over 25,000 according to the 2022 Census, making Portlaoise now the most populated town in the Midlands overtaking Athlone. It also has the highest percentage of people aged under 18 in Ireland.

It continues to grow rapidly with multiple private and social housing estates and apartment blocks planned or under construction at present.