'No places whatsoever' in Portlaoise primary schools

The rapid growth of the Laois capital town of Portlaoise has meant the town's recently built new schools are already out of spaces.

A Portlaoise councillor says she is "absolutely alarmed" to hear that there are no spaces in any of the town's six primary schools, between 2nd and 4th class.

Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald is suggesting that more new schools be urgently built, or the town cannot attract new companies with no schools to offer their children.

"Parents of people moving to Portlaoise have approached me and told me that from 2nd to 4th classes, there are no places whatsoever in Portlaoise. I was absolutely alarmed.

"Children are all going on buses to rural schools now instead and they are filling up now. The primary school situation is very bad at the moment. 

"It is up to us to contact the Department of Education and ask for an urgent meeting to see what way this can be addressed.

"We are a progressing town, we want to attract industry but they are not going to come if they can't get their children into schools. This is a huge need," Cllr Fitzgerald said.

She spoke at the April meeting of the Portlaoise Municipal District, suggesting where new schools could go.

"With the size of Kilminchy, should they have a school? What about Fairgreen where children are walking from? Maybe we should have smaller schools in smaller areas. We need this meeting as soon as possible," she said.

Her motion asks Laois County Council to ask the department to visit Portlaoise, meet local representatives and reps from the local primary schools, to "discuss the serious shortage of school places".

It was seconded by Cllr Willie Aird.

"I couldn't believe it. I thought with the new schools we had loads of room, we are back to square one now, they are all full. Portlaoise is very popular, maybe because the housing is more affordable. It is putting pressure on all our systems," he said.

Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley described the pressure at one school, Scoil Bhride NS in Knockmay which has almost 800 pupils in a newly built school that opened in 2017 but had been sought for decades. 

"Three years ago there was a waiting list for it. I know of a child who had a sibling in the school and couldn't get in because it is oversubscribed. Sometimes you see this in second level but to see it in a primary school. They are going to the rural schools, and Raheen is full. In spite of all we have, we do need a new school. It is timely that we flag this with the Department," she said.

Cllr Marie Tuohy recounted another anecdotal shortage, where a family moved to Portlaoise mid term with a change of employment.

"They assumed they wouldn't get a place mid year, but they can't get any next year, and maybe not the following year either," she said.

Cllr Barry Walsh is from Ballyroan, a village 10km from Portlaoise which also got a big new school building in 2017.

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"It needs an extension shortly the way it's going. Laois has the fastest growing population, the sooner the better we get this moving. Smaller schools for smaller areas is a good idea," he said.

A letter will now go to the Department of Education requesting a visit to Portlaoise.