(Ireland) Offaly: New "state-of-the-art" special school will have 12 classrooms
- The end of childhood
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May 2, 2025, Offaly Independent: First look at new Offaly school plan
Plans for a state-of-the-art new school on a site just off Collins Lane in Tullamore have been lodged with Offaly County Council this week, and the public has been given a first glimpse at what the proposed educational facility will look like.
The new two-storey school, which will replace the existing Offaly School of Special Education at Kicruttin, will incorporate 12 classrooms for pupils with special education needs and is to be built on a 2.3 acre greenfield site owned by the Department of Education at Norbury Woods Avenue. The site is located just off Collins Lane to the north of Tullamore town centre, and is adjacent to the existing Educate Together National School.
In addition to 12 classrooms, the plans also make provision for a general purpose hall; dedicated rooms for music, home economics, art, daily living skills and practical activity; multi-sensory rooms, library, administration areas, sanitary facilities and associated ancillary accommodation. . . .
The Department of Education planning brief also requests that the site “be adaptable” to provide for future expansion. . . .
The existing temporary co-educational special school caters for 42 pupils aged between four years and 18 who have been assessed as having a moderate or severe/profound learning disability. It has seven special classrooms.
The planning file has one submission from Offaly Fianna Fail TD. Tony McCormack, outlining his strong support for the construction of the new school which he describes as “a critical and timely response” to the growing need for special education resources in the county.
His submission adds that the existing special needs school in Kilcruttin plays “a pivotal role” in the lives of children who require specialised education and therapeutic support, as well as in the lives of their families. “The school is a hub of development, support, and hope for children who may otherwise face exclusion from mainstream education settings due to their specific educational needs” said the Offaly TD.
Pointing to the “significant increase in demand” for special education placements both locally and nationally in recent years, Deputy McCormack said the OSSE's existing facilities are now “at full capacity” and the building of a new special school reflects “a commitment to inclusivity, equal opportunity, and the right of every child to receive an education that meets their needs.”
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