Galway West TD Derek Nolan has supported calls for a second level Educate Together School in Galway.
Speaking on the matter, Deputy Nolan stated that “there are now four Educate Together primary schools in and around Galway city which are hugely successful. As pupils in these schools move through the system, there presents a definite demographic demand for a second level Educate Together school.
“To that end, I was pleased to attend a meeting with GET2LS (Galway Educate Together Second Level School ) campaign members and Minister Jan O’Sullivan in Galway last week. The meeting was constructive and has set the scene for discussions between the Forward Planning unit of the Department and the GET2LS group. I will continue to work closely on the matter so as to ensure that this meeting can take place in a timely fashion” he said.
“With schools now located in Knocknacarra, Newcastle, Claregalway and Kilcolgan, the Educate Together school system has expanded significantly in the past number of years and it is vitally important that the Department of Education continues to assist in this growth.
He said that 17 new Educate Together schools have opened up across the country in the past three years, including the new school in Knocknacarra that was opened this year. This growth indicates that there is a clear demand among parents in Galway for greater educational choice.
However, for this growth to continue there he feels there needs to be a commitment from the Department of Education to accommodate that choice from primary to secondary level.
Deputy Nolan concluded by stating that “Galway is rightly proud of its unique cultural and inclusive background. It is important now that we see that diversity of choice facilitated further in the education sphere, through a second level Educate Together school.
