€4.2m Funding for Co. Louth VEC Schools

Since our last publication it is with great pleasure that we can report that an additional €3.1m in funding has been allocated by the Department of Education & Science for improvements in our schools and centres. This brings to €4.2m the total funding received from the Department in the 2009/2010 school year for capital projects.

In addition to the Summer Works Schemes of €1.1m which was reported in our last newsletter, funding has been received for a number of Emergency Works Projects. Bush Post Primary School has upgraded the toilet facilities at the school and the boiler has been replaced.

O’Fiaich College has a new boundary fence in place and work in currently underway on roof repairs and the installation of an elevator. In conjunction with Sustainable Energy Ireland, a comprehensive photovoltaic installation is taking place on the roof of the school. The energy generated with this installation will be fed directly into the college’s main switchboard to offset the electrical base load. In addition, remote view of the PV panels will occur with the installation of CCTV cameras transmitting images back to a TV display located at the main reception area.

The completion of this work will see O’Fiaich College become the flagship for the Department and will be used as a model for similar future upgrades throughout the country. The Principal, staff and students are to be congratulated for their patience while all this disruption was taking place. However, all would agree, it was well worth it!

As a result of these improvements, the demand for the use of the building has increased and this has resulted in the college moving a section of its course to the IQON Building at the Finnabair Industrial Estate from January 2010.

It is now 30 years since St. Oliver’s Community College in Drogheda had its first intake of students. Over the years thousands of students have passed through its doors. This year sees long overdue maintenance work being carried out. In addition to the complete toilet upgrade, new security lighting, CCTV cameras and a new fire alarm are being installed. The drainage system is also getting a complete upgrade, and the staff room and administrative offices in the school, which have served staff well over the years, are also being improved.

Just before Christmas, the sod was turned on the new €1M five classroom extension to Drogheda Institute of Further Education. Work has now commenced and staff and students expect to be in the new building for the commencement of the 2010/2011 academic year. The college numbers have risen dramatically this year due to the extensive range of excellent courses on offer and also aided by the down-turn in the economy which has seen more and more people returning to education.

Work on upgrading the toilet facilities in Scoil Uí Mhuirí has recently been completed, while work is also nearing completion to improve roof and cavity wall insulation levels in the school.

Co. Louth VEC is very aware of its obligations to make its buildings more accessible for persons of limited mobility. With this in mind, a number of centres have installed automated doors, such as the VEC Head Office and the Drogheda Centre for Continuing Education, DIFE and O’Fiaich College. In the near future, automated doors will be installed in St. Oliver’s Community College, Bush Post Primary School and Scoil Uí Mhuirí. Planning approval is currently being awaited for the installation of a lift at the Drogheda Centre for Continuing Education.

It is exciting times in Co. Louth VEC at the moment as work is underway in seeking extensions to St. Oliver’s Community College and Scoil Uí Mhuirí as student numbers are increasing rapidly – a testament to the high calibre of staff and excellent courses on offer within the scheme.