CURRAGHMORE TIMELINE: MICHAEL MOLLOY'S PERSPECTIVE AS PRINCIPAL – 19 YEARS ON SINCE APPLYING FOR NEW SCHOOL
November 8, 1999
School principal submitted official application to department for grant-aid for capital improvements works at existing site.
January 17, 2000
Westmeath County Council compile report on the schooling needs of the greater Mullingar area to be forwarded to Department of Education.
March 22, 2001
Department confirm in writing that an eight-classroom school is required for Curraghmore.
They instruct the board of management (BoM) to obtain a site extension or purchase new site.
Over the next number of years, the BoM explored possibility of obtaining site as close to existing school as possible.
A dispute continued between Department of Education and WCC as to who would fund the necessary road works if school were to expand in the townland of Curraghmore.
March 2006
BoM met WCC and they identified the land reserved for ‘Educational Use’ in the upcoming town plan.
May 4, 2007
Curraghmore NS draft a submission regarding the Westmeath County Development Plan 2008-2014.
February 20, 2008
Oliver Plunkett’s GAA formally approach BoM with view to including school in their development. Mullingar Parish and BoM gladly embrace this proposition.
March 9, 2009
An Bord Pleanála reject Oliver Plunkett’s development. Massive disappointment to all concerned.
BoM proceed to employ independent consultant to identify 15 other school sites. This site assessment report was submitted to WCC.
Council respond recommending site on Ardmore Road as it was zoned educational. Any deviation from this site would require prior approval from the Department of Education and an amendment to the Marlinstown Local area Plan.
June 8, 2010
Tánaiste and Minister for Education, Mary Coughlan, visits Curraghmore NS and says she ‘cannot put Curraghmore on building programme until site issue resolved locally’.
February 3, 2011
Having exhausted several options and taking into account ‘planning advice’ from Westmeath County Council the board engage with WCC and Bishop Smith writes to department indicating if the site became available, he would facilitate purchase.
October 17, 2012,
Department of Education instruct WCC to proceed with purchasing site on Ardmore Road.
February 2013
A Service Level Agreement between the Department of Education and Westmeath County Council signed. Delivery Date on the agreement is September 2016.
June 27, 2017
Final tender report was submitted by WCC to the Department of Education for approval to appoint contractor.
August 25, 2017
Letter of Acceptance issued to PJ Mcloughlin & Sons forming 12-month contract to build school.
This completion date soon moved out to October 2018.
We said we could live with that as my ‘life saving staff’ agreed with contingency measures ratified by BoM.
WCC expected completion date well before end of December 2018 but contractor presented a programme of Works reflecting delay in delivering school until April 13, 2019.