Westport is celebrating today with the announcement that the new school building for Gaelscoil na Cruaiche has finally been approved.
Deputy Beverley Flynn made the announcement yesterday (Thursday ) following confirmation from the Minister for Education and Science Batt O’Keeffe that a new 10-classroom school has been sanctioned.
Welcoming the announcement, Dep Flynn said: “Westport councillors Margaret Adams, Brendan Mulroy, and Declan Dever came to Dublin recently and we had a meeting with Minister Batt O’Keeffe about the need for the school. We stressed to him at that meeting the need to get the school project progressed.
“This is wonderful news today for the board of management and for the students of the Gaelscoil and I am delighted that, following months of working with the school, I can now confirm that the green light has been given for the new school building.”
It is believed that officials from the Department of Education and Science will be in touch with the school shortly to advise them on the steps they now need to take. The building project will go to tender and construction will begin as soon as possible, hopefully before the end of the year, explained Dep Flynn.
“Minister O’Keeffe is announcing 43 major school building projects. That is in addition to 35 other schools he announced in the last number of months,” added Dep Flynn. “The construction sector is quite competitive currently, and that means that the Government stands to get good value for money for the taxpayer on building developments. The Government is investing a record €656 million in the school building project this year, providing much needed construction work in our communities,” concluded the Fianna Fáil deputy.
Cllr Margaret Adams praised Dep Flynn for delivering this project which she committed to do on her readmission to Fianna Fáil last year.
“I am delighted for the children, parents, teachers, and board of management of Gaelscoil na Cruaiche. I am particularly pleased for the founding members of the school who had the concept of a Gaelscoil many years ago. It is a great day for them,” said Cllr Adams.
The new school will be situated on the Newport Road, on land that Westport Town Council sold to the Department of Education for the purpose of building the school. Full planning permission has already been granted but it is believed the project will be re-tendered due to the current economic downturn.
Westport Town Council also has plans to develop the adjoining lands with walkways and park benches, meaning the people of the area will have a fantastic amenity to enjoy.
Cllr Adams said she was particularly pleased for Cllr Brendan Mulroy who was a member of the parents’ steering committee set up to deliver the project. Cllr Mulroy told the Mayo Advertiser he was delighted that the project has finally been sanctioned after 10 years of lobbying on his part.
