TUFFY WELCOMES ANNOUNCEMENT RE LOCAL LUCAN SCHOOLS
Issued : Wednesday 21 December, 2011
Labour Party T.D. for Dublin Mid West, Joanna Tuffy has welcomed the announcement by Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairi Quinn, that local primary schools Gaelscoil Eiscir Riada, and Scoil Mhuire in Woodview, Lucan, have been approved for construction as part of the Department’s €430m Education Infrastructure Plan for 2012.
“This is great news for both the students and staff at Gaelscoil Eiscir Riada and Scoil Mhuire. Dublin Mid West has seen its population dramatically increase, and this news is therefore welcome news for the community of Lucan.
“Some local schools will understandably be disappointed that they have missed out in this round of funding – however this €430m fund represents the first phase of a €2 billion five-year plan for major school building projects. Details of the five year plan will be published in the coming months. I will be working closely with Minister Quinn to ensure that information on further school refurbishment will be communicated to the schools involved as soon as possible. I feel it is important that schools, no matter where they are in the process of achieving school buildings or extensions, know where they stand.
“I also welcome that the expenditure means that money that has been spent renting prefabs for the schools effected by today's announcement is being shifted to investment in modern and safe schoool buildings. For too long the renting of prefabs has simply thrown good money after bad. As well as the obvious benefits to the schools involved, there is the added bonus that this shift in procurement will be labour intensive and provide much needed employment to the local area.
" I hope that in the lifetime of this Government, Gaelscoil Eiscir Riada, and Scoil Mhuire will be the first of many locals in Dublin Mid West to benefit from the Education Infrastructure Plan.”
ENDS
