Clonad Community Development Association

Chairperson: Mary Duff Secretary: Mick Galvin Treasurer: Dan Bergin

PROPOSAL
Clonad Community National School –
“Creating Communities Through Learning”

This document outlines a proposal put together by Clonad Community Development

Association in identifying Clonad as an attractive and viable school site location for a
new community national school with the Laois Offaly Education Training Board as
the patron.

Background
Statistics from the previous 5 census shows that within a twenty year period from
1996 to 2016, Portlaoise’s population has increased by 132% (see Fig.1 below). Based
on the last two census alone, Portlaoise is the fastest growing town in Ireland outside
of the major cities and has the highest population in the country of 0-18 year olds.

Fig.1: Population Growth as per CSO

Year Population % Increase

1996 9,474 13.30%
2002 12,127 28.00%
2006 14,613 20.50%
2011 20,145 37.90%
2016 22,050 9.5%
Over a quarter of the population of Laois now reside in Portlaoise. By 2025 the
population of Portlaoise is projected to grow to 25,382 (Ref: Portlaoise Local Area
Plan 2018-2024). The town has experienced considerable urbanisation and expansion
in recent years and with the significant population growth this has put a greater
demand on the town’s infrastructure in particular education and this has lead to a
massive increase in demand for school places. The provision of good quality
education facilities is vitally important to support the development of sustainable
communities and to support economic development.

The demographic data for the Portlaoise area, overall indicates that demand for
primary pupil places over the past 5 years across the region has been increasing and it
is prudent to plan provision in this area on this basis. The wide area to be served by
the school reflects the significant movement of children to attend schools in this area
and enrolments are expected to continue to rise. There were over 40 children without a
school in Portlaoise in the 2018 – 2019 school year (EWO, Túsla) and reports from
local primary school principals indicate strongly that they will be oversubscribed for
September 2020.

More and more families have had no alternative but to send their children to schools
many kilometres outside of Portlaoise. These schools (Ratheniska NS, Ballyfin NS,
The Heath NS, Emo NS and Timahoe NS) have all doubled in size over the past 15
years and will be unable to meet the future needs placed upon them. The only viable
solution is to establish a new school which will alleviate the burden currently being
placed on existing schools within Portlaoise and the surrounding townlands.

A NEW Community National School:

ETBs have a long tradition of responding to community needs. Schools are integral
parts of the communities they serve and with improved community capacity, spirit and
cohesion is developed. There are a total of 8 primary schools currently in operation in
Portlaoise. 5 of these are under the patronage of the Catholic Church, 1 Church of
Ireland, 1 under the patronage of Educate Together and the other, Gaelscoil
Phortlaoise, under the patronage of An Foras Pátrúnachta na Scoileanna Lán-Ghaeilge.
With the demographics of Portlaoise area clearly supporting the need for a new school
this would be a great opportunity to establish a community national school in the area.
This will provide an attractive alternative patronage option for parents at a local level
whilst also meeting the growing educational needs of the town. Providing a multi-
denominational education option will also result in greater diversity of primary
provision in the Portlaoise area. As mentioned above, with a current shortage of places
a new school would meet the capacity to accept at least one full class group of pupils
at junior infant level and to then further increase capacity as needed based on
projected future needs in the area.
School Site Location – Clonad
Clonad Community Development Association has identified a number of sites in
Clonad that would be of sufficient size for the provision of a new school with ample
car parking. Clonad GAA Club is currently located in Portlaoise Parish and is ideally
situated to provide a school for the children of Portlaoise in the short term. Please see
the supporting letter from Clonad GAA Club, Portlaoise. The advantages of locating a
new school for Portlaoise in the Clonad area are:
• History: Historically, there was a national school in Clonad along the N77
which was closed down in 1971 for various reasons. The hurling club has a
history dating back to 1915.

• Accessibility: An important principle underlying good school site selection is

location. Clonad is easily accessible (see Fig.2 below) from all routes in and
around Portlaoise and is convenient to the area from which the majority of the
school population will be drawn. Buses currently leave Portlaoise for schools
outside the area (Timahoe NS, Rathineska NS, Emo NS) and a bus driving out of
town towards Clonad would almost be traffic free. Many people who live in
housing estates along the Abbeyleix Road as well as the Mountrath Road would
welcome the opportunity to drive ‘out’ of town away from the traffic congestion
and lengthy delays to access a school. With the soon to be completed South
Circular Relief Road this would mean parents from anywhere in Portlaoise could
easily access Clonad via the N77 or R425.

Fig.2: Distance from Town Centre to Existing Primary Schools

 Traffic: At present traffic congestion in Portlaoise town is an issue which needs
to be addressed and has been highlighted in Laois County Council’s
Development Strategy (2018-2024). Vehicles dominate many of Portlaoise’s
streets and largely unrestricted vehicle movement has been detrimental to
accessing services in the area. This has impacted negatively on the town
especially in safe accessibility to schools. A school in Clonad would provide a
traffic free journey to and from school.

 Environment: The immediate environment surrounding Clonad is safe, pleasant,

attractive and conducive to learning. As this location is on the outskirts of town it
will be free from dust, noise and physical hazards that are attributes generally
associated with crowded and congested areas.

• Facilities: Clonad GAA’s club grounds are available as a site in the

short/medium term. It is situated in Portlaoise Parish and as the supporting letter
states; it is available for this project. These facilities are large enough to
accommodate the many activities to be undertaken in connection with a school
programme. These facilities would be made available to the proposed new
school. The advantage of having easily accessible sports and training facilities of
a very high standard at Clonad’s GAA grounds makes Clonad a very attractive
and suitable site for the new school.
A look to the Future:
Portlaoise is rapidly expanding out the Abbeyleix Road towards Clonad. Several new
developments adjacent to M7 at junction 15 including a new motorway service station
is due to open in July 2019 as well as 76 acres of land set aside for further
development by Laois County Council. 100 jobs are expected to be created in the
service station. Locating a school in Clonad would be future planning the educational
needs of a rapidly expanding area.

Summary:
In summary our proposal is to locate a new community national school within Clonad,
namely ‘Clonad Community National School’ with Laois Offaly Education Training
Board as its patron. Such a school would provide choice, increase the diversity of
patronage in the Portlaoise area and help to maximise opportunities for all.
Establishing a school in the Clonad area would build a vibrant community within the
Clonad area, a community built through learning.

We hope that you will consider our proposal and revert back to us at your earliest
opportunity. If needed, we are available to meet to discuss this in greater length.
Le gach dea-ghuí,

_________________
Secretary,
Clonad Community Development Association

Cc: Laois County Council

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