Minister declares it a great day for Stepaside as new school room opens

THE Minister for Education & Skills, Richard Bruton, said it was a “great day for the whole school community” as he officially opened a new 24-classroom school with a Special Needs Unit at Stepaside Educate Together National School in Sandyford last week. 

Over €8m was invested by the Government to provide these state-of-the-art facilities for the new building that will cater for over 600 pupils.

The total capital spend in the Dublin region alone on school buildings is over €900m in the last seven years, it was pointed out.

The Government has also set out their ambition to make Ireland’s education and training service the best in Europe by 2026.

Speaking at the official opening, Minister Bruton said: “Today is a great day for the whole school community.

“Students in Sandyford will now greatly benefit from these new facilities. 

“We recently announced an €11.9billion investment in education as part of Project Ireland 2040 which sees a boosting of the school building budget by 70 per cent over the next 10 years.

“This €11.9billion investment reflects the importance this Government puts on education and will enable our ambition to make Ireland’s education and training service the best in Europe by 2026.

“We are investing in modern, state-of-the-art facilities in our schools, and higher and further education institutions, which are energy efficient and fit for purpose for the curricular reforms we are making.”

Minister Josepha Madigan whose constituency the new school is in, attended the official opening alongside Cllr Lynsey McGovern and Minister Bruton.

Speaking at the opening, Minister Madigan said: “I am delighted to be here at Stepaside Educate Together National School today to mark the opening of these fantastic new facilities.

“Stepaside is an area with a rapidly increasing population and it is important that we provide local services and facilities such as new schools for the people who live here. That is what this Government is doing.”

The opening of the new school room follows the recent visit by Taoiseach Leo Varadkar who marked International Democracy Day by announcing the results of the Stepaside ETSS student council.

Addressing an audience of pupils from Stepaside Educate Together National School, Stepaside Educate Together Secondary School and Gaelscoil Thaobh na Coille, Mr Varadkar said: “I’m delighted to be visiting Stepaside Educate Together on the day the Government announced details of almost €12 billion in education investment over the next 10 years.

“Educate Together schools promote and celebrate diversity by empowering pupils and putting them at the centre of an active learning envi-ronment that encourages innovative thinking and creative problem solving.’

Paul Rowe, CEO of Educate Together, added: “Democracy is the cornerstone of the Educate Together movement and permeates Educate Together schools from pupils to teachers to Boards of Management.

“I was delighted to meet Mr Varadkar today and address with him the very real need to listen to families in Ireland that want Educate Together schools in their locality.”