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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2660119 - Submission - [E] Inniskeen Enterprise & Development GroupSubmission Details Submitter Name Inniskeen Enterprise & Development Group Address c/o Seamus Mulligan (Secretary) Gorteen, Inniskeen Dundalk, Co. Louth A91ND30 Note In relation to application File Number 2660119 Name St. Daig`s National School Board of Management Address Inishkeen Glebe County Monaghan A91 DW66 RECEIVED: 01/05/2026 By email only: Inniskeen Enterprise & Development Group C/o Seamus Mulligan (Secretary) Gorteen Inniskeen Dundalk Co. Louth A91 ND30 The Planning Department Monaghan County Council The Glen Monaghan Co. Monaghan Your Ref: 2660119 Date: 30th April 2026 Dear Sir/Madam, Re: Permission for alterations to three existing classrooms and a resource room to form three special education needs classrooms with external exit doors, alterations to one existing classroom to form a multi-sensory room and office with staff toilets, the construction of a two storey extension at the rear of the south west facing school building and bounded by the north west facing school building to provide four classrooms to include alterations to existing school building to provide access, alterations and extension to existing resource room at first floor level, alterations to existing ground floor corridor and storage and an extension to the existing ground floor boiler house, alterations to part of the boundary wall and the gate of the adjacent 'Open eir' property to the east of the school to include realignment and extension to the existing footpath and all associated site works to include alterations to existing car parking facilities 1. Introduction: Inniskeen Enterprise & Development Group (IEDG) wish to make a submission to the Planning Authority in regards the above application submitted on 30/03/2026. Firstly, we wish to state that Inniskeen Enterprise & Development Group are not anti-development. We wish to see St. Daighs develop in a sustainable manner that does not adversely impact on the needs of all stakeholders, primarily the school children but also including all staff comprising teachers, special needs assistants, administrative staff and also the residents of our village and the wider parish. We believe that our local National School should provide all necessary facilities including adequate playground space for the approximate 300 schoolchildren in attendance and that this should not impact on the wider village centre setting. We do at this point wish to acknowledge the outstanding work done by the Board of Management and staff of St Daighs NS in accommodating the needs of the community to date.RECEIVED: 01/05/2026 Currently we understand that there are approximately 45 staff comprising teachers, SNA’s and administrative staff in the school. A review of the Monaghan County Council planning files will show the numerous extensions that have been added to the current site since 2007, all of which should have had on-site parking infrastructure, as conditioned by the Local Authority. IEDG members had a meeting with the Board of Management of St Daighs NS in 2024 to address our concerns and highlight the benefits of relocating the school to a new site before any further development is carried on an already cramped current site. We outlined that a previous planning application on the site, Reg. Ref. 2360369, which was subsequently withdrawn does not cater for any additional expansion of numbers should there be any housing development within the village. This argument similarly applies to Reg. Ref. 2460477 which was also withdrawn. Currently there is a vacant site within the centre of the development envelope for Inniskeen which is recorded in the County Derelict Sites Register (Reference DSN 11/25). This site has capacity to hold in excess of 50 homes and the owner/developer has been levied, which may prompt this site to be development in the short to medium term, thereby placing significant pressure on the school site which is clearly exceeded its maximum capacity in terms of attendance, staff numbers and parking. IEDG also stressed to the Board of Management, the importance of a master plan for the overall future long-term development of the school. In this regard, the view of the IEDG is that the only way to accommodate both the current and future needs of the school is to relocate to a new site. This would allow for planned future expansion which is currently not catered for under this proposal. Based on a public survey which IEDG carried out in November 2024 as a consultation process for the Monaghan Development Plan 2025-2031 and subsequent public meetings, we wish to make the following submission and observations in relation to the subject planning application. RECEIVED: 01/05/2026 1. Monaghan Co. Council Development Plan 2025-2031 & Tier 4 Village Plan: Current County Council policy with regards to Inniskeen Village is set out in Policy VIO4 which states as follows: To prepare Tier 4 village plans during the lifetime of this Plan, with a focus on housing, amenity, infrastructure, transport and the sustainable reuse and regeneration of existing derelict, vacant, or underutilised sites. We understand that the Planning Department of MCC are currently at an advanced stage with a view to appointing a Consultant to prepare the Tier 4 Village Plan for Inniskeen and that this appointment is imminent, due to be announced before the end of April with the intention that a Village Plan will be prepared by late 2026. A large, proposed development of this nature in the centre of Inniskeen would be considered premature before the Tier 4 Village Plan is prepared as the current Monaghan County Development Plan 2025–2031 sets out a clear policy intent that future development in Tier 4 settlements must be guided by a dedicated village plan. IEDG believes that significant development proposals of this nature should wait until a policy framework is in place so that they align with agreed local objectives and design guidelines. The forthcoming village plan should set out a coordinated strategy for: - Traffic management and transport improvements. - Infrastructure capacities. - Community amenity and land use balance. Advancing a major scheme of this nature beforehand risks poor integration with these planned upgrades or future zoning adjustments and would severely injure and be contrary to the aspirations of the proposed Village Pan. Furthermore, there are heritage and character considerations. Inniskeen’s core includes National Monuments, Protected Structures and a sensitive historic layout. The Village Plan will guide appropriate scale, massing, and conservation responses to safeguard that setting. A large, uncoordinated development could prejudice heritage-impact assessments to be set in in the plan. In short, a large development of this scale now would bypass the very local policy process designed to shape how Inniskeen grows—so it would be considered inconsistent with the proposed Development Plan and premature until the Tier 4 Village Plan provides the proper context. The overall purpose of the Village Plan is to set out a clear policy direction and framework for the development of Inniskeen upwards on the next 20 years and a development of this nature which will have a significant impact on the village core in terms of traffic management, parking and heritage should not be advanced until such time as the Village Plan is adopted. RECEIVED: 01/05/2026 2. Inadequate Parking Infrastructure: St. Daighs National School is located in the centre of Inniskeen village and there is a concentration of other nearby uses to the eastern side of the village. These comprise the Parish Hall, a public house, a privately operated childcare facility, a pitch and putt course, a fast-food take-away outlet, a coffee shop and the Monaghan County Council operated Patrick Kavanagh Centre. This concentration of uses has placed considerable pressure on traffic management and parking infrastructure within the village centre. Currently there is extensive congestion around the school, in particular at morning drop off at approximately 9.00am but particularly during both afternoon pick- up times of 1.50pm and 2:50pm, often resulting in double parking on the public roadway. There have been a number of near misses between pedestrian and vehicles witnessed outside the school in recent months and additional information on this can be furnished to the County Council if deemed necessary by the Planning Authority. There are lay-bys and on-street parking available outside the school, however, these car parking spaces are utilised for long-term all-day parking during school hours with parking overflow also occurring outside the parish hall. In addition, there is long-term all-day pressure on the car park opposite The Patrick Kavanagh Centre, which also serves the pitch and putt course and the local coffee shop. IEDG are concerned that given the parking deficiencies in the village, this has the potential to result in significant health and safety issues arising due to an absence of safe pick-up and drop-off facilities for school children. As previously mentioned, since 2007 the school has been extended on numerous occasions and with each Grant of Planning Permission, Monaghan County Council has imposed conditions relating to the provision of on-site parking. These Planning applications include the following: Register Reference No. On site parking reqd. by MCC: Authorised Car parking provided on-site: 07/380 6 No. 0 No. 07669 0 No. 0 No. 153 2 No. 0 No. 15173 2 No. 0 No. 16162 2 No. 0 No. 16303 0 No. 0 No. 17176 TBC TBC 20366 6 No. 0 No. Totals: 18 No. 0 No. As demonstrated above, a total number of 18 on-site car parking spaces (plus Reg Ref 17176 for which we have no information) have been conditioned by the Local Planning Authority since 2007, however, to date there has been no authorised parking provided within the school boundaries other than unauthorised staff parking which is currently being provided in the front of the school which was previously playground space. RECEIVED: 01/05/2026 This overall intensification of use of the site coupled with non-compliance with previous Grants of Planning Permission from Monaghan County Council has resulted in the overflow of staff parking onto the adjacent public roadway and available parking spaces within the village centre. To demonstrate the parking deficiencies in the vicinity of the school, please refer to the attached Photos. These demonstrate the absence of carparking on the public roadway Other images indicate traffic congestion in the vicinity of the school during a normal recent school day and typical parking on public footpaths, which results in pedestrians having to walk on the public roadway including outside the Community Centre and directly adjacent the sub-standard access route to the proposed eastern carpark. As demonstrated by the above, there is significant pressure on the parking infrastructure within the village. We believe that the current site is over capacity in terms of parking facilities and furthermore, we believe that there are legitimate health and safety concerns. The main vehicular-entrance at the front of the school is currently utilised by a number of the staff cars to access the unauthorised car park and consequently both vehicular and pedestrian foot traffic merges at this location. We therefore believe that this mixed use of this entrance raises the potential for health and safety concerns for the school children which also use this gateway. Based on these deficiencies we believe that as a component part of the consideration of the proposed application, Monaghan County Council should undertake a full and complete audit of all previous Planning Applications on the site to determine all non-compliance issues and parking deficiencies. We believe that by granting the proposed extension, this will further intensify the use of the current site, which we believe is well over capacity in terms of car parking, actual school building facilities and playground space. RECEIVED: 01/05/2026 3. Site Access: In the current Monaghan County Development Plan 2025-2031, proposals for new accesses or the intensification of use of existing access shall comply with Section 15.23 to 15.23.8. In regards the proposed development and the overall site, we note that there are 2 No. proposed vehicular entry points as follows: a) Proposed East Carpark & Access: There is a proposal to provide parking at the eastern end of the site on previous playground space. The development description outlines this as follows: “Alterations to part of the boundary wall and the gate of the adjacent ‘Open eir’ property to the east of the school to include realignment and extension to the existing footpath and all the associated site works to include alterations to existing car parking facilities.” We have serious and significant concerns that the proposed access arrangement represents a clear and unacceptable risk to public safety and is contrary to established County Council Development standards. In relation to Visibility Splays County Development Plan Policy, 15.23.1, states as follows: Visibility Splays Agreement: It is the Council policy to only grant planning permission for development involving the creation of an access and/or the provision of visibility splays, where the applicant is able to demonstrate control or the reasonable prospect of acquiring control of any land required for the provision of any access and/or visibility splays. Proposals requiring works on third party land must be accompanied by a written legal agreement, in accordance with Appendix 13. This legal agreement and accompanying maps shall be signed by all parties and witnessed by a Solicitor. As outlined above, it is current policy that an applicant must either have a legal interest in the land or obtain the consent of the landowner. The proposal indicates demolition and realignment of the front boundary wall to the Eir exchange, which are third party lands, however, we note that no Letter of Consent has been lodged with the application from Eir giving permission to the applicant to demolish and alter the boundary wall. In the absence of such consent, the application raises serious questions regarding the validity of this proposal and it is essential therefore that Monaghan County Council verify whether appropriate landowner consent has been provided as part of the application. Access to this proposed eastern car park is via a narrow shared single carriage way lane adjacent to the Community Centre. The existing lane is clearly substandard in width and is not designed to accommodate increased through vehicular traffic, two-way vehicular movements, or pedestrian foot traffic therefore creating an inherent and unsafe conflict. This arrangement could likely give rise to dangerous reversing movements onto the public road by vehicular traffic due to the constrained nature of the lane. Vehicles meeting head-on will be forced to reverse and this will inevitably result in vehicles reversing out onto the public road, which is contrary to safe traffic management principles and significantly increases the risk of collision. This therefore poses an immediate risk to pedestrians along the public footpath. RECEIVED: 01/05/2026 Furthermore, the proposed entrance is located between the school and a pre-school/after school crèche, an area with a very high concentration of vulnerable road users which travel on foot between St. Daighs and Inis Og Childcare for pre-school and after school care. The introduction of increased traffic in this confined, shared environment creates a direct and foreseeable risk to pedestrian users stepping into the lane, particularly given the lack of separation. Design Manual for Urban Roads and Streets requires junction visibility states splays to be kept clear of obstructions, however, objects that would not be large enough to wholly obscure a vehicle, pedestrian or cyclist may be acceptable providing their impact on the overall visibility envelope is not significant. Drawing No. 21-14-19 - Visibility Sightlines submitted with the current application fails to demonstrate the use of off-street parking directly outside the Community Centre which would severely obstruct visibility towards the west. In addition, cars are often parked on the public footpath outside the Eir site restricting visibility in an easterly direction. Refer to Photos No.? & No. ? attached. As a result, drivers exiting the proposed car park will not achieve adequate sightlines, nor will pedestrians have sufficient visibility of approaching vehicles from the laneway. This is contrary to standard road design requirements and represents a material safety deficiency. The cumulative impact of a narrow shared access, inadequate width, potential reversing movements onto a public road, restricted visibility, and proximity to sensitive uses represents a clear failure to comply with established guidance and best practice in road and street design and County Development Plan standards. The proposed eastern access arrangement is inherently unsafe, fails to comply with the principles of DMURS and associated national guidance, and presents a clear and unacceptable risk to pedestrians, road users and particularly to children. b) Proposed West Carpark & Access: Again, Drawing No. 21-14-19 - Visibility Sightlines submitted with this application indicates sightlines serving the westerly main vehicular entrance to the site. This proposal also fails to demonstrate the use of off-street parking, in this case, directly outside the school in the parking lay-bys and also the alignment of trees on the public footpath. These uses and features which again would severely obstruct visibility in both an easterly and westerly direction for traffic exiting the school grounds. The proposed access arrangement as outlined in Drawing No. 21-14-19 is factually incorrect, ambiguous and is again inherently unsafe. It fails to comply with the principles of DMURS and associated national guidance, and presents a clear and unacceptable risk to pedestrians, road users, and particularly to children. Refer to attached Photos also. RECEIVED: 01/05/2026 4. Impact on Heritage Amenity; The clearly demonstrated parking and traffic management problems in the village not only disrupts daily life but also has far-reaching impacts on sustainability, livability and the preservation of our local tourist attractions, primarily the Partick Kavanagh Centre but also local heritage amenities, such as the Round Tower and the former Church of Ireland, both of which are synonymous with Inniskeen Village. The pressure placed on local parking infrastructure by the over expansion of St. Daighs on it’s current site has resulted in reduced accessibility, which has limited parking for residents and visitors to access local businesses and amenities, thereby negatively impacting the local economy. As demonstrated by the Photographs attached showing the lack of parking amenity, we believe that the over intensification of the school site, exacerbated by the sheer number of staff has also resulted in a significant aesthetic degradation of the village and it’s amenity. The overall visual appeal of the village centre is compromised by parked cars and traffic congestion, therefore detracting from it’s historical charm. Consequently, we are concerned that over the longer term, there will be an overall tourism decline as potential visitors may be deterred by the inconvenience of traffic and parking issues, leading to a decline in tourism and loss of revenue for heritage sites, in particular the Monaghan County Council operated Patrick Kavanagh Centre. In 2021, Monaghan County Council commissioned the Inniskeen Village Public Realm Spatial Plan prepared by The Paul Hogarth Company. The brief set out by Monaghan County Council was to deliver a design which enhances the architectural quality of the sensitive streetscape, provides a high-quality concept and incorporates a reinvention of the village as a place for people. This report states as follows: Access to the village by locals and visitors is predominantly by car which places excessive demands on the existing parking infrastructure around the village. This consists of on-street and off-street parking, often leading to confused parking arrangements between parking, pick up/drop off shared between community and visitors. There is currently no designated coach-parking next to the Patrick Kavanagh Centre. Addressing the challenges posed by the over intensification of the school site resulting in traffic congestion and parking issues is crucial for enhancing the sustainability, livability, and heritage value of Inniskeen. The concentration of parked cars within the village core significantly detracts from the streetscape and by relocating St. Daighs to a new purpose-built site together with effective traffic management strategies will allow for the improvement of parking facilities within the village core. This can help mitigate the challenges and help preserve the unique character of the village as proposed by Monaghan County Council in their own commissioned report, namely The Inniskeen Village Public Realm Spatial Plan. RECEIVED: 01/05/2026 3: Traffic Implications during Construction Phase: The site for the proposed extension is located directly to the north of the existing school building and we note that the site is essentially landlocked with limited and very restricted access available given the location of current school buildings, the astroturf playground space and the adjacent National Monuments in the wider graveyard/Round Tower site. It is our understanding from previous withdrawn applications on the site that the applicant intended forming a temporary vehicular access on the western boundary of the site to allow for construction vehicles, machinery and construction materials to access from the public roadway, which also accommodates a public footpath. Given the scale of the proposed extension, this has the potential to have significant traffic implications on the adjacent public roadway as there will be potentially hundreds of additional vehicular movements of construction materials which will interrupt and impede normal vehicular day to day traffic movements. This section of roadway along the western boundary of the overall school site is currently used for pick-up and drop-off facilities for school buses which will become unavailable during the entirety of the construction phase. Furthermore, the adjacent public footpath will be unusable which would place considerable risk to pedestrians. The applicant has not submitted any details relating to an overall Project or Traffic Management Plan including traffic, both vehicle and pedestrian. In addition, no measures have been submitted on how all construction related traffic risks will be mitigated. Furthermore, we believe that given the overall concentration of uses on the site comprising school buildings, unauthorised parking and playground space that there will be inadequate provision available within the site boundaries for the temporary off-street accommodation of building materials, construction related vehicles and temporary offices/welfare facilities. In addition, there will be notable deficiencies in both car and truck parking facilities provided on-site during the Construction Phase of development. During the construction phase, the proposed development will therefore have significant implications for traffic movements in and around the village Center for a considerable period of time, posing a significant risk to road users and pedestrians. RECEIVED: 01/05/2026 4: Adjacent Protected Structures & National Monument: Current County Council Policy with regards to developments in close proximity to National Monuments and Protected Structures are as follows: PMP-1: Development adjacent to an archaeological monument or site will only be acceptable where it is sited In a manner which minimizes the impact on the monument and its setting. Development which is likely to have an adverse impact upon an archaeological monument or site art setting shall be resisted. PMP 2 To protect archaeological sites and monuments which are listed in the in Appendix 4, Recorded Monuments, (And any subsequent additions by the National Monument service) and to require their preservation in situ (or at a minimum preservation by record) through the planning process. PMP 3 To protect the setting of archaeological sites and monuments which are listed In the record of monuments and places in appendix 4 (and any subsequent additions by the National Monument service) from being adversely impacted upon, cooperating with all the recommendations of statutory bodies in the achievement of this objective’. In relation to the application form submitted with the current application to MCC, we note Section 17 Development Details, which states: Does the application relate to development which affects or is close to a monument or place recorded under section 12 of the National Monuments Acts 1930-2004? This is answered no, which is clearly incorrect as the proposed extension is located beside and adjacent to the following cluster of recorded National Monuments as follows: - Cist; MO029-031005 - Church; MO029-031001 - Round Tower; MO029-031002 - Graveyard; MO029-031004 - Memorial Stone; MO029-031006 - Mausoleum; MO029-031003), as well The adjacent Round Tower Church is also listed in the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage (NIAH) and The County Record of Protected Structures, Reg No. 41402913. This proposed access route for construction traffic will be located within 20 meters of a National Monument, namely the Round Tower and it should also be noted that IEDG have a legal interest in adjacent Round Tower Church as we currently hold a long lease (99 years) and we are responsible for it’s overall maintenance and upkeep. In respect of the adjacent Protected Structures, the Planning Authority in their request for additional information relating to Register Reference 2360309 (which was subsequently withdrawn) on 09/02/2024 stated the following: The site of the proposed development is located in close proximity to 2 No. protected structures. Policy BHP6 of the Monaghan County Development Plan 2019-2024 notes that any new development proposed to or in the vicinity of a Protected Structure will complement and be sympathetic to the structure and it’s setting in terms of it’s design, scale, height massing and use of materials and to RECEIVED: 01/05/2026 resist any development which is likely to impact on the building’s special interest and/ or any views of such buildings and their setting. Having regard to the design, scale and form of the two-storey rear extension proposed, the Planning Authority has concerns that the proposed development will have an adverse impact on the amenity of the adjoining residents and negatively impact upon the setting of the protected structures. Applicant shall submit a revised proposal to address the concerns of the Planning Authority. Revised plans shall ensure that the proposed extension is reflective of the design of the existing school building, particularly with respect to roof form. These adjacent National Monuments and Protected Structure have an unrivaled visual impact on the village centre, which is central to the identity of Inniskeen and our initial concern is that these structures will be adversely impacted during the construction phase, potentially by vibrations and significant mitigation measures will need to be put in place including the installation of vibration monitors and all structures will need to be fully assessed by specialist’s and their current condition recorded in advance of any nearby construction works. Secondly, we believe that the proposed development will have an immediate impact as there is the potential for significant archaeological finds given the close proximity of the proposed development to an adjacent graveyard. Furthermore, the Protected Structures are in close proximity to the proposed development and it is our view that the proposal will have a significant impact on their setting. The scale of the development, including it’s height, will we believe be dominant behind the Round Tower, in particular when approaching from the north over the River Fane bridge. The proposal we believe would therefore have an adverse effect on the setting of these structures. We note the Architectural Impact Assessment submitted with the application prepared by MOD Architects which includes a photo montage to indicate the scale, bulk and form of the proposed extension in relation to the Protected Structures. There is currently a screen of semi mature trees within the graveyard, however, the assessment prepared is based on these trees having full leaf cover and during the dormant winter months when leaf cover is absent the proposed extension will be dominant. Furthermore, we note a yellow rendered finish which again is inconsistent with the existing colour palette which is predominantly greys and again the proposed extension would be overriding in the context of the grouping of adjacent National Monuments & Protected Structures. The proposed development therefore has the potential to detrimentally alter views of the Round Tower and the Church of Ireland in particular when approaching from the north and from within the overall site including the Round Tower. 5. Playground Space Deficiencies: It is the understanding of IEDG that prior to the first extension added to the school in 2007 that the overall play space available for children extended to approximately 5500m2. In the event that the current application is given permission, the play space remaining will measure approximately 2400m2, which is a reduction of over 50% from its original base of 5500m2, with an increasing school population year on year to it’s current level approaching approximately 300 students. RECEIVED: 01/05/2026 In effect the play space has been reduced by half as the school population continues to increase and there is potential for further numbers to be added in the event that the current vacant residential site in the village is developed. The Department of Education’s Technical Guidance Document TGD-020 General Design Guidelines for Schools 2017 outlines that a variety of informal and social areas should be provided on school sites to suit the learning development and cultural needs of pupils/students during breaks and before and after school, and for a range of more formal curriculum needs. As per the information submitted, it is clear that there is an acceptable quantity of quality social space on the site, as there has been a continued erosion of play space on the current school site since 2007. This deficiency can potentially impact on reduced physical activity as limited space can restrict children's ability to engage in active play, which is crucial for their physical development and overall health. Furthermore, there is an increased risk of injuries as overcrowded playgrounds can lead to more accidents and injuries as children have less room to move around safely. Other factors may also come into play such as stress and frustration as children may not have enough space to play freely, which can affect their mental well-being, therefore potentially leading to social conflicts as children compete for the same play areas. We also understand that there are split breaks implemented on the school site whereby a small number classes are allowed outside to play when other classes are retained inside. This does not foster a regime of inclusiveness whereby children of different age ranges can mix and play alongside their peers. 6. Proposed Extension: We note that the location of the proposed extension will block natural light to a large number of the existing classrooms/resource rooms & staff room on the site. Consequently, some existing spaces and also some proposed classrooms will have no direct natural light and they will likely have to be illuminated by electric lighting, possibly at all times during their use. In addition, the proposed new classrooms will not have any direct natural ventilation as it is proposed to mechanically ventilate these. The proposed location of the two-storey extension to the school and it’s impact on the existing classrooms/facilities on the site again demonstrates that the site is over capacity and we believe that Monaghan County Council should take these inadequacies of the design into consideration. RECEIVED: 01/05/2026 Conclusion: As part of the consultation process relating to the development of the Monaghan County Development Plan 2025-2031, a public consultation comprising an on-line survey was carried out by IEDG, which culminated in a public meeting held in the parish hall on 6th November 2024. This meeting was attended by 154 community stakeholders, including residents, local businesses, representatives from community organisations, schools, religious institutions, and cultural groups. The aim was to engage all local stakeholders in a meaningful dialogue concerning the current Draft Monaghan County Development Plan, the Inniskeen Spatial Plan and the village's immediate and long-term needs. A submission was subsequently lodged with Monaghan County Council, which was rooted in extensive community engagement and represents the voices of a dedicated and thriving population committed to Inniskeen’s growth, sustainability and heritage preservation. The responses to this survey and public meeting overwhelmingly requested improved provision for parking and enhanced community facilities and services. The survey and public meeting concluded that there is inadequate parking around St. Daigh’s National School and the village centre is not only inconvenient to travel to but poses a significant health and safety risk, particularly for children. Addressing this will also support Inniskeen’s position as a welcoming destination for cultural tourism. During this consultation process a number of land-owners in the village area approached the IEDG and made us aware that they would be interested in allowing some or all of their lands to be used for the provision of amenity use to provide for the sustainable development of the village. We would like to see these individuals approached in order to advance the sustainable development of Inniskeen. Given the projected growth over the next 20 years, it is essential to expand community, civic, and recreational facilities to sustain Inniskeen’s development. This aligns directly with the zoning definition in the Monaghan County Development Plan; To protect, provide and improve community, civic and educational facilities and is consistent with the aspirations of the upcoming Village Plan for Inniskeen. It is the belief of the IEDG that the current school site is maxed out given the over intensification caused by the numerous extensions added and that the only way for the village to develop in a sustainable manner is to secure a site for a new school. This would allow for safe entry and exit by buses and would cater for the necessary parking requirements, adequate/enhanced playing areas for the pupils and purpose-built facilities to cater for pupils and staff along with sufficient room for expansion space. There is also currently a vacant development site (Reference DSN 11/25) within the existing development envelope capable of containing potential for in excess of 50 new dwelling houses and in the highly likely event that this site is developed, we are extremely concerned that there will be inadequate spaces available in our existing National School. We also believe that the current Monaghan County Council Development Plan is flawed in that the parking requirements are outdated as these should include an allowance for SNA’s, which are now a major component of each and every school in the county. This in our opinion should be revised RECEIVED: 01/05/2026 and amended when preparing future County Development Plans. We note the cover letter from Gerard Rust Architect Dated 27th March 2026 which states that should the proposed application be granted that there will be 15 classrooms and 20 teaching staff. We believe that this number of teaching staff is ambiguous as it does not account for the special needs assistants or administrative staff working within the school which bring these numbers close to 50 overall staff in total. Currently the Local Authority only require parking for teachers, however, modern school environments now include numerous special needs assistants and other specialists all of which places significant pressure on parking infrastructure. It is our belief that in considering this application, the Local Authority needs to take due regard for all previous applications on the site, the non-compliance with conditions relating to parking and also the considerable additional traffic load that would be placed on the village core including during a prolonged construction phase. As highlighted by the above, we believe that the current proposal for a further extension to St. Daighs would seriously injure the amenity of the overall village and would lead to an overall deterioration in the already overloaded and overstretched parking infrastructure. It would also potentially result in significant health and safety concerns, whilst also impacting on the overall aesthetic and visual appeal of the village centre. We believe that this submission has been made on purely stated consideration’s and we trust you will take these factors on board when reaching your decision. We have paid the required €20 fee to Monaghan County Council and we look forward to acknowledgement of receipt of this submission and also your decision in due course. Yours sincerely, Inniskeen Enterprise & Development Group Inniskeen Enterprise & Development Group Encl. Schedule of Photographs. RECEIVED: 01/05/2026 Appendix 1 Schedule of Photographs RECEIVED: 01/05/2026 St. Daighs NS, The Glebe, Inniskeen, Co. Monaghan Your Ref: 2660119 April 2026 Photograph No. 1 RECEIVED: 01/05/2026 St. Daighs NS, The Glebe, Inniskeen, Co. Monaghan Your Ref: 2660119 April 2026 Photograph No. 2 RECEIVED: 01/05/2026 St. Daighs NS, The Glebe, Inniskeen, Co. Monaghan Your Ref: 2660119 April 2026 Photograph No. 3 RECEIVED: 01/05/2026 St. Daighs NS, The Glebe, Inniskeen, Co. Monaghan Your Ref: 2660119 April 2026 Photograph No. 4 RECEIVED: 01/05/2026 St. Daighs NS, The Glebe, Inniskeen, Co. Monaghan Your Ref: 2660119 April 2026 Photograph No. 5 RECEIVED: 01/05/2026 St. Daighs NS, The Glebe, Inniskeen, Co. Monaghan Your Ref: 2660119 April 2026 Photograph No. 6 RECEIVED: 01/05/2026 St. Daighs NS, The Glebe, Inniskeen, Co. Monaghan Your Ref: 2660119 April 2026 Photograph No. 7 RECEIVED: 01/05/2026 St. Daighs NS, The Glebe, Inniskeen, Co. Monaghan Your Ref: 2660119 April 2026 Photograph No. 8 RECEIVED: 01/05/2026 St. Daighs NS, The Glebe, Inniskeen, Co. Monaghan Your Ref: 2660119 April 2026 Photograph No. 9 RECEIVED: 01/05/2026 St. Daighs NS, The Glebe, Inniskeen, Co. Monaghan Your Ref: 2660119 April 2026 Photograph No. 10 RECEIVED: 01/05/2026 St. Daighs NS, The Glebe, Inniskeen, Co. Monaghan Your Ref: 2660119 April 2026 Photograph No. 11 RECEIVED: 01/05/2026 St. Daighs NS, The Glebe, Inniskeen, Co. Monaghan Your Ref: 2660119 April 2026 Photograph No. 12 RECEIVED: 01/05/2026 St. Daighs NS, The Glebe, Inniskeen, Co. Monaghan Your Ref: 2660119 April 2026 Photograph No. 13 RECEIVED: 01/05/2026