Part of Dublin school building to close after 'significant structural issues' found
All pupils, with the exception of Transition Year students, should attend a Dublin school as normal tomorrow, after it was forced to partially close due to structural issues in one of its buildings.
The decision to close Ardgillan Community College in Balbriggan was taken by management and the Department of Education on Friday, when a fire safety check highlighted the problem.
All should attend with the exception of around 90 Transition Year students, who have been asked not to attend to free up school capacity.
The Dublin and Dun Laoghaire Education and Training Board say efforts are being made to rectify things as soon as is possible.
A statement from DDLETB said: "School management is now making immediate arrangements to accommodate up to 200 students who will be discommoded and the school will communicate the details of the arrangements to parents/guardians once finalised.
"Staff and parents have been informed by the school management and will be kept updated in this regard.
"DDLETB and the School Management have emphasised that their absolute priority at all times is the health and safety of students and staff and the above measure is therefore considered appropriate."
A school in north county Dublin is to close down part of its building with immediate effect after "significant structural issues" were identified.
200 students in Ardgillan Community College in Balbriggan will be discommoded after inspectors found the safety flaws on Friday.
The school, which has 910 enrolled students, underwent a fire safety assessment when engineers discovered the issues after opening up sections of the walls in two classrooms.
In a statement from the Dublin and Dun Laoghaire Education and Training Board (DDLETB) today, it said that following a consultation with the Department of Education and Skills and school management, part of the school will be closed in the interests of the health and safety of the students and staff.
"School management is now making immediate arrangements to accommodate up to 200 students who will be discommoded and the school will communicate the details of the arrangements to parents/guardians once finalised," a spokesperson said.
"DDLETB and the School Management have emphasised that their absolute priority at all times is the health and safety of students and staff and the above measure is therefore considered appropriate."
Some Transition Year students are being asked not to attend this week as a result, while staff and parents have been informed by the school management and will be kept updated, the spokesperson said.
They say that an intensive effort is underway to rectify the situation and they hope to have a solution in place after the mid-term.
