News of progress on an extension for Athenry Boys NS was welcomed today by Galway East TD and Minister of State for OPW and Flood Relief, Seán Canney.
‘Athenry Boys School is one of a group of schools that the Department of Education and Skill has asked OPW to assist with. OPW has in recent weeks assessed tenders and is in the process of finalising the design team, which is expected to be completed within a matter of days. Once that team is complete, OPW can then continue with the scheme development and it is hoped that approval will be secured from the Department of Education to seek planning permission before the end of the year.
‘The project at the Boys NS in Athenry involves a four-classroom extension, a new GP hall and ancillary accommodation. The involvement of the OPW was necessary because the school extension would have seriously impinged on the hurling pitch at the school and this necessitated OPW providing land on an adjacent site to allow the school to expand without affecting the hurling pitch.
‘The provision of a major extension for Athenry Boys NS must be progressed as quickly as possible and as Minister of State for the OPW, I will make every effort to ensure that there is no hold up on behalf of the OPW and I look forward to an application for planning permission being made as soon as possible.
‘I know that many parents of children in the Athenry area are anxiously awaiting the development of this new extension and can be assured of my co-operation in this regard.’