Department Of Education Meets Patrons And Management Of Closed Celbridge Primary School

Kildare North Social Democrats TD Aidan Farrelly said closure could have been avoided if Department had acted sooner

Over 400 primary school children remain at home today after the Board of Management of St. Patrick's Primary School in Celbridge made the decision to "proactively" close the school today on health and safety grounds.

The Department of Education was meeting the schools Patrons and Board of Management this morning to discuss the school closure.

On Saturday February 21st Martin Osborne of Kfm News published an article highlighting two damning reports into the current state of the "temporary" school. The full article can be read here. Parents only became aware of the full extent of issues with the current structure last week. 

According to Kildare North Social Democrats TD Aidan Farrelly, the Department of Education were in receipt of the two reports back in June 2025. 

Speaking on the Kildare Today show this morning, Deputy Farrelly explained how this current situation could have been avoided if the Department of Education had acted sooner. 

Background to St. Patrick's Primary School

According to the schools website, in September 2008, the school moved into its new school building located at the GAA Grounds on Hazelhatch Road. This architect-designed prefabricated building was to serve as a temporary base while they awaited relocation to a permanent site.

The building is situated on a 6,160 m² site leased from Celbridge GAA Club. The school includes sixteen classrooms, each measuring 80 m², five SEN rooms, a principal’s office, a secretary’s office, storage rooms, a staff room, and a multi-purpose room.

The ground floor covers an area of 1,223 m² and, together with the upstairs classrooms, the building has a total floor area of 2,050 m². The site also provides both tarmac and grass play areas for students.

Statement from Department of Education 

In a statement from the Department of Education issued to Kfm News this morning, the Department said: 
The Department of Education and Youth (DEY) is aware of issues highlighted by St Patrick’s National School in Celbridge, Co Kildare and in recent weeks has engaged project managers and contractors to address structural defects.

DEY has received a number of emergency works applications from the school including in June and November of 2025. DEY sought additional information from the school but revised applications for emergency works funding were not received.

Officials and technical staff from DEY attended the school site in December 2025 and no further applications were made.

Minister for Education and Youth Hildegarde Naughton visited the school on the 14th January this year, meeting with the Board of Management and school principal. She toured the school and was made aware of the issues.

Later that month, the school decided to close two classrooms because of water ingress. After being notified, DEY arranged for a building surveyor and contractor to immediately attend the school and over the weekend of Saturday the 24th and Sunday the 25th January, two modular units were delivered to the school. Over the course of that weekend, emergency repairs were completed on the roof.

Following this, DEY engaged project managers and contractors and completed further remedial works to the classrooms that were closed. These initial works were completed by 5th February. 

Since that time considerable works have been carried out to the school including clearance and remediation of gutters and drainage which were severely blocked in the school; interim sealing of roof leaks, remediation works to the floors of the school (some of which is already completed), maintenance to fire doors, replacement of sections of vinyl flooring and some discrete electrical remediation.

At present there are roofing contractors on site carrying out significant works to the school roof.

The school has been provided with written programme updates including delivery timelines for specific works. The most recent was sent to the school last Friday (27th February).

This programme outlined a number of actions which are planned, including use of the two modular units to facilitate the temporary decanting of classes to allow upgrades of classrooms to take place.

Works will continue in the days and weeks ahead, including during the mid-term and Easter break.

The Department is satisfied that the methodology provided to the school addresses all the issues which have been raised by the school including issues raised with regards to life safety systems and fire safety measures.

The Department has made contact with the Patron and the school authority today (4th March) and arrangements have been made to meet with them tomorrow to ensure the school reopens as soon as possible.

Present Day

As it stands the school, remains closed. This evening in Celbridge GAA a meeting will be held at 8pm with the Parents Association, Board of Management, School Staff and the wider parent community in attendance. 

Speaking to Kfm, parent Áine Toibin shared her concern regarding sending children to a school that is not fit for purpose: