Four Offaly schools to benefit from Government's school building programme
TWO Offaly schools have been listed among 52 school building projects which can go to tender and construction as part of the Government's €579 million school building programme in 2010.
A further two projects will take a major step along the road to eventual construction with the appointment of design teams
Crinkle National School will receive and extension and refurbishment this year while work will is also due to begin on a new premises for St Joseph's National School in Ballinagar on a site adjacent to the school.
In quarter two of this year design teams will be appointed to extension and refurbishment projects at Scoil Mhuire,Tullamore and also to Tullamore College.
Tullamore College was severely damaged by fire in 2001 and since then a number of temporary prefab buildings have been utilised in the school. A lengthy campaign to have the school rebuilt has been waged over the ensuing eight years by the school's Board of Management along with Offaly VEC and local politicians.
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SEE ALSO
VEC to write to Taoiseach again on Tullamore College
Urgent meeting sought on Tullamore College future
No start date for Ballinagar NS
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The news of the impending work on the quartet of educational establishments has been welcomed by Taoiseach Brian Cowen who thanked his colleague, the Minister for Education and Science, Batt O'Keeffe, for 'responding positively' to the case the Taoiseach had made on behalf of the Offaly based schools.
Mr Cowen thanked all those involved in the four schools for their 'continuous hard work' in putting forward the case for improved facilities.
"From a local perspective I know the importance attached to the need to improve our school facilities while at national level I also clearly see the need to further invest in the productive sector of the economy, which in the short term provides planning, design and construction work, and in the medium term provides schoolchildren and teachers with the best educational environment in which to work. I look forward to significant progress being made this year on these four important school projects," he concluded.
Laois/Offaly TD Olwyn Enright also welcomed the news and stated that having visited both Crinkle and Ballinagar schools recently she is 'well aware of the need' in both facilities. Ms Enright added that she hopes the projects come to fruition 'as soon as possible'.
Councillor Sinead Dooley said the announcement would bring great relief to the management, staff and Parents of these schools who had worked tirelessly to bring these projects to fruition.
"When Minister O'Keeffe met with representatives from the Boards of Management and Staff from these schools last year, he made a promise that their projects would be approved and allowed to proceed and thankfully, irrespective of the current economic downturn, he has fulfilled his commitment."
She continued, "I would like to pay a special tribute to the teachers and children who have worked and studied in overcrowded, poor conditions while awaiting approval for their respective projects and I am pleased that they can now look forward to new facilities in the very near future."
In commenting on the news that work will begin on St Joseph's NS in Ballinagar, Councillor Ger Plunkett said 'it was a long time coming' adding that it was a 'welcome boost to the area'.
Councillor Barry Cowen expressed his delight at the news and in particular he welcomed the impending appointment of a design team for Tullamore College.
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