Two school construction projects have been announced for Westmeath for the coming year.
A new primary school is to be built for Naomh Iosef NS, Rath Guaire, Killucan; while in the Athlone area Coosan NS, Castlequarter, Coosan is to receive an extension in 2014.
The two Westmeath projects are part of a national school building plan that will see the construction of 37 new schools, and 33 schools receiving extensions in 2014.
Deputy Nicky McFadden welcomed the planned construction projects for the Westmeath schools.
“This is great news for Coosan NS Athlone and Naomh Iosef NS Killucan, the schools included on the school building programme for the coming year. Every parent wants to give their children the best possible start in life and I think that this school building plan will be welcomed by parents and pupils alike,” she said.
The 70 projects scheduled to proceed to construction across the country in 2014 comprise 22 new primary schools, 12 primary school extensions, 12 new second-level schools, 20 second-level school extensions, three new special schools; and one major special school extension.
The projects will provide over 27,500 permanent school places nationally. Of these, almost 21,000 will be additional places and the remainder will replace temporary or unsatisfactory accommodation.
It is estimated that the projects will support 3,200 direct jobs and 640 indirect jobs in the coming year.
“This is a welcome economic boost not only to the construction industry but to the communities where building will take place,” said Deputy McFadden.
“We have to try to ensure that every child growing up in Ireland will have access to a school place and ideally, a space that makes learning more appealing.
“This announcement is part of the Government’s plan to provide more than 100,000 permanent school
