The brand new state of the art St Dympna’s and St Nicholas’ special needs schools open their doors this week. The new €6 million state of the art schools which are located on the grounds of the old St Dympna’s school, will share the same building but retain their own identities.
Ballina based Fianna Fáil TD Dara Calleary has welcomed the opening of the new schools saying, “This is truly a momentous week in the history of both St Dympna’s and St Nicholas’ special needs schools with the opening of their schools. For decades both schools have been surviving in what were inadequate premises and I am delighted that the boards of management and staff of the schools now have the top-class facilities to match the top-class service they provide.
“Having visited St Dympna’s before the commencement of the summer holidays, I know that a real sense of optimism and excitement exists among all the staff and students as they prepare to enter their new surroundings and, while I am sure there were many tears when the old school was knocked to make way for the new building, I am also certain that all their cherished memories will move with them to the new building.”
The new schools have been equipped with top of the line facilities according to the TD. “The new schools come equipped with classrooms with designated computer areas, libraries, resource rooms, multi-purpose rooms, physiotherapy and speech and language rooms, modern kitchens and dining facilities, PE hall, playing fields and basketball courts,” he explained.
