Permanent campus for Educate Together school in Rathcoole

A PERMANENT school campus for Rathcoole Educate Together National School is a step closer to becoming a reality, as a planning application has been lodged for the development.

The Department of Education recently submitted an application for a 20-classroom school in Rathcoole village.

The proposed three-storey building is to be located to the south of Coolamber Drive and includes hard and soft play areas and two ballcourts.

The move has been welcomed by the school community, who will be holding a meeting in the school’s current temporary accommodation in Citywest on Wednesday, January 17, at 6pm.

Austin O’Sullivan, the chairperson of Rathcoole ETNS’ Board of Management said: “Rathcoole ETNS has been open since September 2020.

“We have 100 pupils and as a new school we are continuing to grow year on year.

“Our present temporary accommodation will be unable to accommodate the school from autumn 2025 and hence the urgency of our need to relocate the school to the permanent site in Rathcoole Village.

“Rathcoole ETNS [is] unique among local schools [as it] provides two autism classes, which are the only classes that cater for autistic primary school children in Rathcoole Village.

“The new school campus will allow us to increase this to four autism classes.

“The planning application by the Department of Education is not a moment too soon.

“The Board of Management looks forward to working with all stakeholders to provide this much-needed school for the children of Rathcoole.”

Mariana Rovenco, the parent of a Second Class pupil, said: “We have been teaching Rathcoole children the importance of ‘thinking globally and acting locally’ with our biodiversity and tidy towns projects.

“The need for our pupils to commute from Rathcoole to Citywest every morning flies in the face of this.

“The moving of the school campus to its permanent site in Rathcoole village not only benefits the school community with a modern, up-to-date campus, but also eases local traffic congestion, ending the crazy situation of Rathcoole families commuting to Citywest by car to attend a Rathcoole school.”

The principal of Rathcoole ETNS, Gemma Maher, said the permanent school building will be a valuable amenity for the local community.

“The school has already been through a long and winding process to get to this point,” she said.

“As members of the community in Rathcoole, our parents will be asking all our politicians, residents and community groups to support our school project.

“This school is not only for the current generation of pupils attending Rathcoole ETNS but will be an important amenity and facility for all the community in Rathcoole for decades to come.”

A decision on the planning application, which was submitted on December 20, is due from South Dublin County Council by February 22.