PLANNING: Tipperary school submits plans for major expansion with four new extensions

Coláiste Dún Iascaigh in Cahir is set for a significant expansion, with the Tipperary Education and Training Board submitting plans to Tipperary County Council for approval.

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The application proposes four new extensions to the school on Cashel Road, adding a total of 2,500 square metres. The developments will accommodate a mix of educational and support facilities.

The largest of the proposed extensions, to the west of the existing building, will be partly single-storey and partly two-storey. It will house four special needs education classrooms, six general classrooms, four specialist rooms, and three teachers’ rooms dedicated to special education.

Two further extensions will provide technology preparation rooms, linked to the school’s current technology facilities, while a fourth extension will serve as additional storage.

Plans also include improvements to the school’s infrastructure. A new vehicular entrance to the service yard is proposed, along with a covered storage area and modifications to the existing car park to create extra parking spaces and a dedicated drop-off area for students with special needs.

Cyclists will benefit from two new covered bicycle shelters and the relocation of two existing ones. The development will also feature an enclosed play area for students with special needs and a sensory garden.

According to documents submitted with the application, the school currently has 892 students and 100 teaching staff. The proposed expansion does not aim to increase enrolment.

Coláiste Dún Iascaigh, a co-educational secondary school, first opened in 1997. The principal is Peter Creedon.

Tipperary County Council is expected to reach a decision on the planning application by March 25.

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