A RAFT of new school projects will go ahead in the New Year after the Minister for Education and Skills, Jan O’Sullivan, approved the latest school building programme.
A total of 70 major school building projects have been given the green light as part of
?¬2.2 billion five-year plan.
Some
?¬450 million will be spent on primary and post-primary infrastructure this year, with a projected expenditure on large scale projects of over
?¬280 million.
The projects on the Southside include new schools for St Colmcille’s in Knocklyon and for Ballycragh NS in Tallaght as well as for Holy Trinity NS in Leopardstown and Esker ETNS, Lucan.
There are also extensions earmarked for St Mary’s NS in Lucan as well as for Inchicore NS, Senior College, Dún Laoghaire and Dún Laoghaire and Newpark Comprehensive, Blackrock.
Other building projects in Dublin South West include Scoil CaitlÃn Maude, Citywest ET, Gaelscoil Oldbawn, Scoil Aoife, Tallaght West CNS, as well as Scoil Niamh, and Citywest Community NS.
“I welcome today’s announcement of the new school building projects for my constituency,
? Senator Cait Keane said.
“This news is very positive and further demonstrates the Government’s commitments to delivering the ambitious school building programme announced after taking office in 2011.
“As the population of Dublin South-West continues to grow, there is a pressing need for more schools to serve the educational needs of a growing community.
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According to Senator Keane, the 70 major school projects that are planned to proceed to construction across the country will go ahead in 2015.
They include 44 new schools and 11 major extensions at pri- mary level, five new schools, eight major extensions at post primary level and two new special schools.
“These school projects will deliver over 27,800 permanent school places and of these over 23,700 are additional places,
? the senator added.
“The remainder will be the replacement of temporary or unsatisfactory accommodation. Some 54 of these projects were included on the five year plan, and we had indicated they would proceed to construction in either 2014/15 or 2015/16.
“For these 54 schools, they are now being provided with certainty that their projects will proceed to construction during 2015.
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Meanwhile, Cllr Peter O’Brien (Lab) said a new primary school for Stepaside Educate Together that has been given the go-ahead for construction next year was a triumph for the local community.
“Since the school opened its doors in September 2012, Stepaside primary school has proven to have been an outstanding success,
? he said.
The school, currently located in the grounds of De La Salle Palmerstown Rugby Club, was established after local parents came together in May 2010 to campaign for a new multi-denominational, co-educational national school.
“I’d like to wish the school principal, Anne Carroll, teachers, pupils and parents ever success as their new school progresses next year,
? added Cllr O’Brien.
“The new school will provide much needed additional capacity to meet the demands of the local community for a non-denominational, co-educational national school in the general Stepaside area.
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