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€10m upgrade for schools
APPROVAL has been given for a huge extension to one of Kilkenny's biggest schools while Callan is also set to receive millions of euro for educational building projects.
In total, 15 new classrooms are to be provided at the Loreto Convent Secondary School on the city's Granges Road. The cost of the project is over €6 million and official permission to go tender and construction was given by Minister for Education, Batt O'Keeffe on Tuesday (yesterday). It comes at a time when there are huge pressures on student numbers.
The plan will include a new entrance to the school which will now face on to the Granges Road and will incorporate a new green area and new car parking. Deputy John McGuinness who has been working with the school for the last number of years is delighted.
"The school plays a central part in the provision of education in County Kilkenny and has lobbied for the refurbishment and new build project for a long number of years. I am delighted that approval has now been granted. The payment will not only satisfy the needs of the school but will provide much needed jobs during its construction" he said.
Loreto School Principal, Colm Keher, expressed his delight at the announcement. "The most dramatic feature of the project is the extension to the existing building which will be built on the Granges Road side of the campus.
"This extension has been designed by award-winning architects Thompson's Architects and Designers. It will house approximately 20 rooms over two storeys with a mixture of general classrooms, specialist rooms (a science laboratory, two computer rooms, music, religious education, drama, learning support, business, multi-media) and an administration area.
"The project also includes a refurbishment of the facilities in the existing building. The provision of these facilities will allow the school to continue to provide excellence in teaching in learning in an environment appropriate to the 21st century," Mr Keher said.
"It will allow for continued innovation in teaching methodologies and bring considerably improved comfort to our staff and students. It is expected that construction time for the extension should be in the region of twelve months. It can be reasonably expected that classes can commence in the new wing in September 2011 with the refurbishment project to follow.
Callan
There is €4 million for the new building which will accommodate the amalgamation of the CBS and Scoil Mhuire into the newly created Bunscoil McAuley Rice in Callan town. "This will help accommodate 350 students and help keep up with demand," Deputy McGuinness said.
And the Department has given the go ahead for St Brigid's Secondary School, Callan to go to design stage following the collapse of some floors and ceiling there. Again, the project is expected to be fast-tracked, Deputy McGuinness intimated.
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