elphin local area plan 2009 - 2015 - Roscommon County Council
elphin local area plan 2009 - 2015 - Roscommon County Council
elphin local area plan 2009 - 2015 - Roscommon County Council
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Chapter 7: Social and Community Facilities<br />
services throughout the <strong>County</strong>, which are categorised into sessional, full day-care, child-minding and<br />
private and community services. There are also approximately 14 after-school services and 12 parent and<br />
toddler groups in the county. The need to develop and expand social infrastructure such as childcare<br />
provision which supports the lifecycle needs of people working and living in the county, is a priority of<br />
<strong>Roscommon</strong> <strong>County</strong> <strong>Council</strong>.<br />
The Elphin Community Childcare Facility is located to the rear of the Community Centre and has a<br />
modern play <strong>area</strong> with safe surfacing. There is also a private childcare facility on Palace Road. It is<br />
imperative that adequate crèche facilities are provided in suitable locations within the town, particularly<br />
within residential <strong>area</strong>s. They should form an integral part of new developments and in locations adjacent<br />
to open space amenities and community facilities such as schools.<br />
7.4 HEALTH<br />
Responsibility for the provision of health-care facilities within <strong>County</strong> <strong>Roscommon</strong> lies with a number of<br />
public, voluntary and private agencies. The Health Service Executive is the primary agency responsible<br />
for delivering health and personal social services. The Elphin Health Centre is located on Chapel Street,<br />
adjacent to the Roman Catholic Church.<br />
7.5 EDUCATION<br />
Education, and the provision of adequate education facilities, has an integral role to play in developing<br />
sustainable and balanced communities. The existence of such facilities can increase the attractiveness of an<br />
<strong>area</strong> for business and families. <strong>Roscommon</strong> <strong>County</strong> <strong>Council</strong> has no direct responsibility for the provision of<br />
education. Decisions regarding the future requirements for education facilities are primarily the<br />
responsibility of the education authorities. There is however, onus on <strong>Council</strong> to reserve sufficient lands to<br />
meet the likely future demands for community facilities including education.<br />
Elphin has a long tradition of providing education. The Bishop Hodson Grammar School, now known, as<br />
the Elphin Grammar School was in the past renowned for its teaching and had many well-known pupils.<br />
The building at the rear of the school was used in the past by Elphin Community College, however it sits<br />
empty at present. The old school holds significant potential for development for community usage in the<br />
future.<br />
Currently there are two schools in the Elphin <strong>area</strong>, Abbeycartron National School provides primary<br />
education and Elphin Community College provides secondary level education. Enrolment figures in the<br />
National School have remained more or less constant in recent years with 144 students enrolled in<br />
2006/2007 (the most recent figures available).<br />
Elphin Community College caters not only for the town of Elphin but also for a wide catchment <strong>area</strong>.<br />
Enrollment figures have remained relatively constant also and the 2006/2007 figure was 119 students; 67<br />
boys and 52 girls. The school was extended in 2007 in order to accommodate increased student numbers<br />
and bring all classrooms onto the one site.<br />
The educational facilities within Elphin at present have capacity to adequately cater for the short to<br />
medium term expansion of the population. However, if the population was to increase significantly this<br />
situation would need to be re-addressed. Accordingly lands have been zoned for Community Use in order<br />
to allow expansion of the schools as required. Shared facilities between the schools may be considered for<br />
future development.<br />
When considering the provision of schools in Elphin the <strong>Council</strong> shall refer to “The Provision of Schools<br />
and the Planning System A Code of Practice for Planning Authorities, the Department of Education &<br />
Science & DEHLG” (July 2008), where appropriate.<br />
Elphin Local Area Plan <strong>2009</strong>-<strong>2015</strong> Page 66