For the last two years I have been working very closely the Principals of St Colmcille’s Junior and Senior National Schools, Knocklyon on the New School project. These schools, the largest primary schools in Ireland, have a deserved reputation for providing the highest standard of education in the country.

Having worked closely with both School Principals and my Colleague, the Minister for Education & Science, I am delighted to inform you that the schools have received some very good news recently.

Major progress has been made in bringing the New School a step closer. Last week the Department of Education and Science granted approval to move the schools’ building project to Stage Three of the Architectural Planning Process.

What this means is that the schools can now proceed to Planning Permission stage for the replacement, finally, of the prefabricated buildings and for provision of state-of-the-art educational facilities that the pupils, teachers and community deserve.