School Closure due to Heating Problem

Following a meeting of the Board of Management tonight Thursday March 10th 2016 we would like to inform you of the current situation.

The school will remain closed due to the lack of heating.

As per Circular 21/79, which is available to view online at www.education.ie “The acceptable minimum level of heating in classrooms is 16 degrees C.” We have been unable to achieve this on any day this week.

Work on the replacemnet of the existing boiler will commence tomorrow. This work which involes both Plumbers and Electricians will continue for the next few weeks including the Easter Holidays. The work schedule plans to have the sytem ready for testing during the last week of March (Easter Week) and to have the school ready for pupils and staff to return on Monday April 4th as per our school calendar. We will confirm this date to you here on the website and by text as soon as we have confirmation, which will most likely be March 31st or April 1st.

We appreciate that this has been a difficult time for families and thank you for your patience and continued cooperation.

 

School Closure Due To Heating Failure

As you are aware,the  school has been forced to close on two days this week due to the failure of the heating system.

As part of the Building Extension Works we highlighted the age and state of the boiler to the Dept. of Ed and Skills in September 2015 and sought funding for a new boiler. Despite representation on our behalf by public representatives to the Dept. this funding has still not been granted and the official response from the DESS is that our application is “under active consideration”.

During the course of the last week a leak from the boiler was noticed. The DESS was informed of this on Friday. They insisted that we needed a Consultant Engineer to carry out an assessment of the boiler in order that we could apply for Emergency Funding. On Saturday we were advised that switching on the boiler may be a health and safety risk to children and staff. On Monday, a Consultant Engineer appraised the situation and alerted the DESS immediately. We have been given verbal sanction to install a new boiler.

Meanwhile we have sourced the only possible alternative heating system for the school which is run on electricity. The school has a basic electricity supply which is unable to run the number of heaters needed to heat the school to  minimum requirements.

Currently, our engineer is attempting to source a suitable boiler; this may need to be imported. Once this has been acquired the boiler must then be installed. Following this it needs to be run to test the heating system for damage done due to the fault in the old boiler.

As you will appreciate, if the school does not meet minimum heating requirements tomorrow Wednesday March 9th we will be forced to close until after the Easter Holiday.

The Board of Management will meet on Thursday  to discuss the developing situation. We will keep you informed of any changes.

We appreciate your ongoing understanding and cooperation.

On behalf of the Board of Management.