Northern Ireland budget shortfall: Kilkeel High School so decrepit it looks like it is being run down, says councillor

As a result, over 700 pupils were only able to fully return to school on 11 September, the BBC reported.

However this week a local councillor has gone much further.

"The fact that it was opened a week late is almost besides the point," said local DUP councillor Henry Reilly.

The councillor visited the school recently with party colleagues Diane Forsythe MLA and Councillor Glyn Hanna.

“It is doing very well academically and has 750 pupils, but we were shocked at the decrepit and run down state of the school building which is literally falling apart," he said. "The guttering is infested with weeds which stops rain water draining away, and which in turn creates damp on the walls and in classrooms.

"The exterior has clearly not been painted for years and the spouting is rusted and corroded. The school is a 1950's design and has long outlived its useful life.

"A contractor who has worked on schools In both Northern Ireland and the Republic advised me that Kilkeel High School is without doubt the worst maintained and most dilapidated educational premises he had ever experienced."

Mr Reilly said Kilkeel High School has not been considered for a new build by the permanent staff at the Education Authority.

After her election as South Down MLA, he said Ms Forsythe asked her party colleague, Education Minister Michelle McElveen, to visit the school.

"The minister was visibly shocked and angry at what she saw and was clearly heard asking her senior staff why had she not been advised about the state of the school,” he added.

Mr Reilly said it was "particularly hard" to see £19m being spent on the Shimna Integrated School in Newcastle and £20m on St Louis Catholic Maintained school in Kilkeel.

By comparison he said that Kilkeel High School "clearly had the greatest need for a new build facility [but] has been ignored and effectively abandoned to its fate by the EA”.

"The EA must do the right thing and allow the Pupils and Staff at Kilkeel High School parity of esteem and equality with their educational peers."

However a spokeswoman for the Education Authority (EA) responded by noting that the education sector is facing "unprecedented pressures" for capital investment across the entire schools’ estate.

She added: "The Education Authority has invested in building and other maintenance work at Kilkeel High School including the recent completion of an extensive toilet refurbishment project and is working on three new toilet blocks which are currently on programme for completion in late October.”

The EA noted that it is facing an unprecedented funding gap in 2023/24 of over £200m and has been warning of the impact this will have on core services and children and young people.

It also noted that decisions on the funding for major capital works are determined by the Department of Education.

Kilkeel High School and the Department of Education were invited to comment.