‘Such a long wait’ - Calls for answers on long-delayed Kilkenny school development

Design and planning for new school buildings for Coláiste Pobail Osraí and the Kilkenny City Vocational School commenced in 2015

Published 4th Jun 2026, 17:00 BST Kilkenny City Vocational School Design and planning for new school buildings for Coláiste Pobail Osraí and the Kilkenny City Vocational School commenced in 2015 Sign up to our Kilkenny Live newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know you can manage your profile, and explore all of the available newsletters from Kilkenny Live within your account.

Minister for Education, Hildegarde Naughton TD, was quizzed on the status of Kilkenny school developments, including that of the long-awaited campus for Coláiste Pobail Osraí and Kilkenny City Vocational School this week.

The issue of the delay was raised by Carlow/Kilkenny TD, John McGuinness, who highlighted that €3.5m has been spent on the project to date and its planning permission and lease are to expire in 2027 and 2028 respectively.

The new school buildings were first promised in 2008, and condemnations were issued from local figures across the political spectrum when the project was omitted from €1.6b worth of funding announced by the Department of Education in February.

While she did not give out any timeline on a potential delivery, the Minister outlined some details on what the briefs for the new schools are hoped to provide on the campus which has been earmarked for the Western Environs.

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The KCVS brief provides for a new building with a long-term projected enrolment of 550 pupils, including a two-room special education provision while Coláiste Pobail Osraí has provision for 400 pupils.

Responding to the Minister, Deputy McGuinness said: “There has been such a long wait for the Kilkenny school campus. Planning permission is there. Some €3.5m has already been spent on the groundworks and the planning permission will expire.”

“I keep on emphasising that and will continue to because the school needs to know where it is going before the end of July. It cannot be left until next year for the school to be given some sort of indication, because that will force it back into the planning process.”

“The school will also lose time and see site costs increase,” he concluded.

Related topics: John McGuinness Kilkenny Colaiste Pobail Osrai KCVS Department of Education Sign up to our Kilkenny Live newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know you can manage your profile, and explore all of the available newsletters from Kilkenny Live within your account.