Wicklow TD steps in as Blessington Community College urgently seeks promised temporary classrooms

At a meeting held in late February, TDs and local representatives were told by the Blessington Community College teaching staff and Parents Association that the school would need an additional six classrooms to accommodate the large number of first year students due to start secondary school in September 2023. Following this meeting the school received confirmation from their patron KWETB that these six additional classrooms had been approved by the Department of Education.

“Blessington Community College have been waiting over three months for details about the arrival of these six additional classrooms which are urgently needed for this September. We have repeatedly asked the Department of Education for a timeline for this project and now with only a few days left in the school year we still don’t have a start or completion date for this project,” commented Deputy Whitmore.

“The lack of clarity or a confirmation that these classrooms will be in place and ready for students at the start of the new school year is causing a huge amount of anxiety among parents and students in Blessington and the surrounding area. I am calling on the Department of Education to take immediate action and offer the community here some reassurance that there will be room for their children when they start school in September.”

Social Democrats Local Area Representative for west Wicklow, Deirdre McCormack stated: “We were delighted at the announcement in April that Blessington Community College had been approved to be developed into a 1,000 student school. This was fantastic news for our growing community here in Blessington but our attention really needs to be focused on this September and the urgent need for these six additional classrooms.

“Starting Secondary School is a big step for young people and their parents. They should be looking forward to this new start instead of anxiously waiting to hear if there will be enough classrooms for them in September.”

Deputy Whitmore concluded: “We have been working with the parents, teachers and school staff at Blessington Community College since February and their determination and commitment to ensuring that this school gets the facilities it needs must be applauded. Blessington is a growing community and needs its schools to grow with it. We will continue to work together to support the community here.”