TWO SCHOOLS IN west Dublin will remain closed to pupils after the mid-term break today, as structural issues identified have still not been fully addressed. 

Officials at St Luke’s National School and Tyrrelstown Educate Together National School have decided schools shouldn’t reopen today with Wednesday signalled as the potential return date.

In Lucan, Gaelscoil Eiscir Riada will reopen to some junior students today but not senior ones.

For Ardgillan Community College in Balbriggan, pupils will be accommodated but one of its buildings remains closed, the Department of Education said yesterday.

In the case of St Luke’s, Principal Vivienne Bourke said on the school’s website “the building simply will not be ready by Tuesday”.

She said the board of management and the patron were taken on a walk around the building yesterday evening and “we could see the new scaffolding and support structures in place throughout the building and out into the yard”.

“These support structures do not look good and the BOM and Patron did not feel that the site was finished to a high enough standard to ensure the safety of everyone who would be using the building,” she said.

There were still some sharp edges, unfinished woodwork and exposed surfaces which could potentially be a hazard.

Bourke added that she was aware this has been a “terrible shock to the school community” and said the school will open as normal from Wednesday. 

A total of 42 schools built by Western Building Systems were being inspected over concerns about potential structural problems, after concerns were raised at Ardgillan last month.

A full list of the schools cleared to open in full can be found here. 

With reporting from Hayley Halpin

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