Young Laois secondary school seeks planning for first permanent home

Seven years since it was first established, a new Laois secondary school has progressed to planning permission stage to build its first home.

Dunamase College / Coláiste Dhún Másc in Portlaoise is the only Laois secondary school that offers teaching through Irish as well as English.

Established in 2017, it has grown to some 570 pupils who are currently learning across three previously vacant school buildings in Portlaoise town centre.

A spacious new school is planned that will fit 1,000 pupils, on land beside the Timahoe Road and Southern Circular Route, near five other new primary school buildings in Portlaoise.

Local TDs have welcomed the new move to apply for planning permission to Laois County Council for the new Coláiste Dhún Masc / Dunamaise College Portlaoise.

Sinn Féin TD Brian Stanley said it's badly needed.

“Laois Offaly Education Training Board (LOETB) is now lodging planning permission with Laois County Council (LCC) for the new 1000 pupil school at Summerhill. This long awaited development is badly needed.

“Currently Coláiste Dhún Masc is located on 2 different sites at Tower Hill, the old Technical school and the Christian Brothers school. Enrolment is restricted to approximately 550 pupils, despite huge demands for Secondary School places in Portlaoise. The new development at Summerhill will help to address this.

“This will continue to be a priority for me and I will be urging LCC to expedite the planning process for it in a timely manner,’’ Dep Stanley said.

Minister of State, Fianna Fáil Deputy Sean Fleming gave further details on the plans that will go on public view next week.

"The planning notice for the new school will be published on Tuesday and the planning permission documentation will be submitted to Laois County Council immediately following this.

"The site for the new Dunamase College secondary school is located on the ring road, Portlaoise. There will be two separate entrances for the new school, one entrance located on the Timahoe Road and one entrance on the ring road, to assist with the free flow of traffic.

"This new school will be built to cater for 1,000 students in Portlaoise and the surrounding areas. I am grateful for the work of the Laois Offaly Education Training Board (LOETB) in initiating and their future management of this major school project.

"This is good news for Portlaoise and the surrounding local areas. This will kick-start the process for the development of the new Dunamase College.

"I look forward to Laois County Council granting planning permission as soon as possible, so that this much-needed new secondary school can then go to tender and construction," Minister Fleming said, also giving his undertaking to push on the project.

"I will make sure that this school is delivered, as I have delivered for Kolbe Special School and many other school projects throughout County Laois," he said.