Galway County Council has given the green light for the construction of new primary and secondary Gaelscoils in Athenry on the site of the former Clarin College.
The GRETB has received planning permission for a new campus on the Caheroyn Road which will comprise two main school buildings.
Gaelscoil Riada Primary School will be primarily two storeys in height, containing 16 classrooms and 1 SEN classroom.
The primary school will have the capacity for 485 pupils and 26 teachers. It will also possess two ball courts, hard and soft play areas, and a sensory garden to the rear.
Also to be located on the campus is Colaiste an Eachraidh secondary school, two and three storeys in height. This will include 17 classrooms, 12 specialist classrooms, and 1 SEN classroom.
The secondary school will also have a three storey sports hall, four ball courts, and a grass play area.
Colaiste an Eachraidh will have the capacity for 455 pupils and 45 teachers when completed.
The sports facilities in the new schools will be made available to local sports clubs, music rehearsal groups, scouts, and others as part of their current relationships with the Gaelscoils.
The school campus will have a single vehicular entrance from the Caheroyn Road, leading to a set down area and parking before the vehicular exit on the same road. There will also be a pedestrian entrance onto the Tuam Road.
The school campus will feature a total of 84 car parking spaces and 48 covered bicycle stands.
Landscaped green areas will be mostly located along the sides and rear of the school campus.
Planning permission for the new Gaelscoil campus was granted by the county council with 22 conditions attached.
The GRETB intends to start construction work on the site in July 2024, and it is expected that the project will take 18 months to complete.
Approval was given last February for the demolition of the old Clarin College building. The GRETB said at the time that there has been an issue with anti-social behaviour, including a small fire, since the site was vacated.
