Engineers have identified structural flaws in 17 school buildings (list below) that will require temporary works to be carried out in coming weeks in order to ensure that they are safe for pupils and staff to return to in September. The 17 schools are in addition to 22 others where defects discovered last yearrequired precautionary measures, such as scaffolding and protective fencing, to be put in place. The Minsiter for Education has provided an update on Schools Remediation Programme in the Press Release below.


Minister for Education and Skills Joe McHugh T.D. has today (14 August) provided an update on the remediation programme for 40 schools constructed by Western Building Systems (WBS).

Some 22 schools were included in the first phase of the programme over the course of the school summer holidays, with permanent engineering solutions designed for each school.

This structural remediation work has been carried out in 14 of these 22 schools over the last six to seven weeks. This enables the precautionary measures in these schools to be removed as the work is completed
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Structural remediation work in the remaining 8 of these 22 schools is due to commence later this year.

Planned fire safety remediation works were carried out in these eight schools during the summer. This fire safety remediation programme will progress to the 14 schools which have undergone structural remediation.

Minister McHugh said: “Good progress is being made on the programme for remediation works in the schools.

“I want to thank the principals, patrons, boards of management, teachers, parents and pupils in these schools. It is with their support and cooperation while the work is carried out that we can restore their schools to normality.

“I am deeply conscious of the disruption and difficulties that this issue has caused since last autumn. It is a complex problem that has required intensive analysis and tailored solutions following detailed assessment by engineers.”

Seventeen schools are included in the second phase of the remediation programme. These have undergone detailed assessments over recent weeks.

Engineers have advised that some permanent remediation work is required in each of these schools. In the interim, some temporary engineering solutions and other precautionary measures are being put in place in some parts of some of these school buildings.

A decision on the design solution for Ardgillan Community College is due to be finalised in September.

School principals and patrons in all 40 schools are being briefed on progress of the remediation programme.

Minister McHugh added: “Safety has always been at the heart of our response to the structural deficiencies that were identified in these schools. It will continue to be.

“Any permanent or temporary engineering solutions or precautionary measures that are advised by engineers as a result of detailed assessment and analysis of these buildings are being undertaken.”

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