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06 Sept 2025
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06 Sept 2025
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Education Authority confirms no schools in Council area have shown RAAC presence.
Derry City and Strabane District councillors have raised concerns regarding the potential presence of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) in local schools.
However, the Education Authority (EA) has confirmed that all of the schools in the Council area to date have shown “no visibility of RAAC presence on first inspection”.
RAAC is a less durable form of concrete with a lifespan of approximately 30 years. It is prone to collapse when it gets wet.
RAAC was used in construction in many buildings between the 1950s and 1990s. It is mainly found in roofs, occasionally in floors and walls. Concerns about the structural integrity were first raised by researchers in 1994.
In September, 231 schools in England were confirmed to have RAAC, as a result many of them had partial closures in place.
The Department of Education subsequently asked the Education Authority (EA) to undertake a survey of schools across the North to assess the RAAC threat.
At a recent Environment and Regeneration committee meeting, councillors requested officers to write to the EA Chief Executive requesting details of the survey results for schools in the Derry City and Strabane District Council area.
The response received from the EA said: “The EA has agreed a programme of surveys with the Department of Education (NI) of which 122 schools have been prioritised, based on the fabric, age and type of construction of the school building(s).
“The EA can confirm that all of the schools surveyed to date in the Derry City and Strabane District Council area have shown no visibility of RAAC presence on first inspection.
“Please be assured that in the event that RAAC is identified in a school in the Derry City and Strabane District Council area that the EA has a RAAC Management Plan in place which includes the mitigation actions which will be taken as required.
“The EA will work closely with any school which is potentially impacted if the school survey indicates that RAAC is present. The safety of pupils and staff remains the utmost priority for the EA.”
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