Concerns persist as Leitrim primary school awaits safety improvement works

Tendering for the Safe Routes to School Scheme (SRTS) at St Clare’s National School in Manorhamilton is expected to be issued in January, with works anticipated to commence around April or May.

At the December meeting of Manorhamilton Municipal District, Cllr James Gilmartin sought an updated progress report on the SRTS for the school. 

He highlighted ongoing safety concerns at the school entrance that remain unresolved and continue to cause concern among parents and staff.

“There is a genuine fear that an accident could occur if safety issues persist,” stated Cllr Gilmartin in his motion.

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He also requested a revised timeline for the works, along with details of any interim measures that could be implemented to improve safer access to the school.

In January of this year, St Clare’s NS received €350,000 in Active Travel funding under the SRTS to improve accessibility and safety for the school community. 

This formed part of a wider €2.4 million allocation for 20 projects across the county under the Active Travel scheme.

Senior engineer Paul McMahon confirmed that issues with the original tendering process had now been resolved and that the new tender would be issued “very early in the new year.”

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When Cllr Gilmartin asked when construction would begin, he was informed that April or May was the “expectation,” although this timeline has not yet been confirmed.