Saint Eunan's College in Letterkenny, Co Donegal has strongly criticised the Department of Education after the school was "once again" excluded from the Department’s priority list for major building projects over the next two years.
The school, which has served the Donegal community for 120 years, caters for around 1,000 students from Letterkenny and the wider region.
The all-boys post-primary school received planning permission in 2022 for a major two-storey extension, including 37 general classrooms, 20 specialist teaching rooms and more facilities.
However, approval is set to expire in March 2027.
Yesterday, the Department for Education and Youth published a list of 105 school building projects that will be built or proceed to tender stage within the next two years.
In a statement, Saint Eunan’s College said: "The news that Saint Eunan’s has once again been excluded from the Department’s priority list for the next two years is more than a disappointment; it is a breakdown in trust.
"The inability of the Department to provide answers or a clear roadmap is an affront to our staff, our students, their families and our community.
"To ignore a school of this scale is not just an administrative oversight: it is an organisational disgrace".
Saint Eunan’s College said despite delivering high-quality education for decades, the State has failed to provide a fit-for-purpose building.
The school said the need for the planned development has not diminished, given a continued pressure of an increasing enrolment.
"Since 1997, through the tenure of three different principals, we have campaigned for an extension/refurbishment.
"For decades, we were led to believe that the funding was secure and that progress was imminent. Yet we are met with a wall of silence.
"Our frustration today is not just with the lack of bricks and mortar; it is with the lack of simple, honest communication," the school said.
It added: "We have upheld our side. We provide the results, the student care, and the future workforce for this region.
"However, the state’s reciprocal commitment - the basic provision of a fit-for-purpose environment- has been absent for nearly 30 years."
Saint Eunan’s College planned project is at pre-tender stage.
A Department spokesperson previously said the project is part of the ADAPT Programme that aims to achieve the best possible timeframe for projects.
The Department of Education’s Sectoral Plan for 2026–2027 will see the completion of 300 school projects currently under construction, with the 105 projects announced yesterday set to deliver more than 27,000 additional school places.
A statement from the parent’s committee of St Eunan’s College said the Department's decision not to approve funding, on this occasion was disheartening.
"The school has served generations of families, and it is distressing to see that today's students are expected to learn in facilities that are widely acknowledged as not fit for purpose," it said.
The Department of Education has said that there is a strong focus in NDP Plan on maximising existing capacity and prioritising project rollout to meet the most urgent needs particularly to support special education needs provision.
