Minister for Disability and Fianna Fáil TD for Galway East, Anne Rabbitte, has welcomed confirmation from the Minister for Education today (Thursday) of a large extension and refurbishment project for the Mercy College in Woodford, Co. Galway.
It has been confirmed that the school has been given the go ahead for the development of:
- 2 new mainstream classrooms,
- Woodwork Room,
- Woodwork Prep room,
- Project Store, a new special class for children with special education needs
- Reconfiguration of the existing Woodwork room into a Design/Computer Graphics classroom.
Welcoming the confirmation, Minister Rabbitte commented:
It’s fantastic news to finally see approval for these building works in the Mercy College in Woodford. I have been engaging extensively with the Minister for Education, Norma Foley, on the importance of these works so it’s great to see it over the line.
The two additional classrooms, woodwork room, and a special class for children with special education needs will add much needed capacity to the school, modernising its offering and supports, while the refurbished Design/Computer Graphics classroom will also be an excellent addition for the school.
This confirmation comes only a week after the Presentation College in Headford received sanction for new modular units, which will see two special classes for children with special education needs, a special education teaching room for one to one teaching or group work, a new staff room, and an admin area.
Such investment is so important for these schools, but also their communities. Investment in education is vital for our young people, and this includes investment into our school buildings themselves. I’ve been keen to see a number of schools in Galway get the funding they need to extend and renovate their buildings, and I’m glad to say Mercy College and the Presentation College have both been given the green light.
and she concluded:
Under this government, there has been a record level of investment in school buildings. Since 2020, investment has been in the region of €4.5 billion in schools throughout the country, involving the completion of over 800 school building projects.
These projects provide new and modernised facilities to help schools cater for growing populations in their areas, and ensure there is also the necessary classroom to support children with special education needs, which is a key priority for Government.
