Kildare School Reopening Monday After Safety Concerns Prompt Closure

St. Patrick’s National School in Celbridge, County Kildare, Ireland, will reopen to pupils on Monday, March 9th, after the Department of Education agreed to provide an insurance indemnity. The school was forced to close on Thursday, March 5th, due to structural defects and health and safety concerns, impacting over 400 students.

Closure Due to Safety Concerns

The Board of Management made the decision to temporarily close the school following recent external fire safety and building compliance reviews. According to a statement from chairperson Breda Holmes, independent assessments identified “a number of fire safety and building compliance matters which require urgent attention.” While no specific incident triggered the closure, the board deemed it prudent to pause occupation of the building to implement necessary repairs and ensure full compliance.

Parents were informed of the closure on Wednesday, March 4th, and the school building remained closed on Thursday, March 5th, with students staying home. Concerns had been raised by parents regarding the condition of the school building, including reports of ceilings collapsing and classrooms being temporarily closed without adequate communication. One parent, Christine Reale, described a “bad smell” emanating from a classroom and highlighted an architectural report from March 2025 that raised “serious concerns” about the school’s safety.

Department of Education Intervention

School management had expressed concerns about liability in the event of an accident, leading to the request for an insurance indemnity. The Department of Education met with the school’s patron and Board of Management on Thursday, March 5th, and subsequently offered the indemnity. The board is scheduled to meet this evening to consider the offer and will meet with parents at 8:00 PM to discuss the situation.

Minister for Further and Higher Education James Lawless, whose constituency includes Celbridge, stated he did not believe the closure was necessary, describing it as regrettable. He noted that contractors were already on-site and work had been ongoing since January, and February. However, he acknowledged the school’s right to make its own judgment.

Tánaiste Simon Harris emphasized the importance of reopening the school “as quickly as is possible” and confirmed that the department had received several emergency work applications from St. Patrick’s. Kildare North Social Democrats TD Aidan Farrelly criticized the Department of Education, stating that they were aware of the problems as far back as last summer.

Long-Term Facilities Issues

St. Patrick’s National School has been operating in temporary buildings since 2007, while awaiting relocation to a permanent site. A new building is currently in the planning process and is among 285 large-scale building projects being progressed by the Department of Education. The school is situated on land owned by Celbridge GAA, leased through the Department of Education.