Castlebar councillor welcomes new classrooms for Mayo school

A CASTLEBAR councillor has welcomed the beginning of the construction of four additional classrooms for the Educate Together National School in Castlebar.

The new classrooms are to be located at the old hat factory building on the Newport Road in Castlebar which was one of a number of campuses used by Educate Together National School to house classrooms for the ever growing school population.

The work on the new classrooms at the Newport Road building recently started and this was welcomed by local Fine Gael councillor Ger Deere.

“This is fantastic news for students and staff who up to this have been operating out of three campuses around the town, namely Marsh House, Cavendish Lane and at the hat factory site.

“A public meeting was called a few months ago to highlight the unsatisfactory and unsafe conditions that the school has had to operate under despite a promise made to them some years back to have a stand alone facility built,” he said.

Cllr Deere explained that he has learned that the Department of Education is leasing the hat factory for five years and while they await a new build they will have four classrooms at the hat factory by this September and by the following September they hope to have a whole school there.

Cll Deere said this is fantastic news and complimented the Principal Sarah Calvey and her staff, Board of Management, parents and students.

The Fine Gael councillor also complimented Minister Alan Dillon who following the public meeting organised a meeting with Minister of Education Norma Foley, and her officials and the Board of Management from Educate Together to progress the project.