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Minister Quinn opens new school building at St Michael’s House Raheny

€5.5 million project funding provided by the Department

The Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn TD, today opened a new school building at St Michael’s House Special National School, Raheny, Dublin 5.

The eight-classroom school, which replaces the existing building, received €5.5 million in capital funding from the Department.

St Michael’s House Special National School caters for 53 students. It has a staff of 47 including nine Class Teachers and 18 SNAs.

Speaking at the opening, Minister Quinn said, “Today’s event is a tribute to the efforts of parents to ensure that children with intellectual disabilities are given their rightful place in the world of education and can achieve their full potential.”

Minister Quinn also visited Mount Temple Comprehensive School in Clontarf today, where he met with second year students undertaking the new Junior Cycle in Business, Home Economics and Engineering/Metalwork. Mount Temple has been involved in Junior Cycle reform since its inception. In February 2012, a survey of incoming parents found they overwhelmingly wanted to introduce the reformed Junior Cycle over the existing programme, with 96% of parents opting for the three subjects on offer.

The Minister met with students who are studying the new programme and commended them on their work saying, “This process has transformed teacher autonomy and improved student engagement, learning and outcomes. I can see that the new ways of teaching and learning are liberating the classroom and invigorating students and teachers alike.”

Minister Quinn was greeted by the Junior Infants class when he visited Naí Scoil Íde in Raheny. The Department has provided €485,000 to replace four prefabs with permanent classrooms under the Prefab Replacement Scheme announced in 2012.

“The prefab replacement initiative has been a great success,” said the Minister. “Naí Scoil Íde is one of 137 schools which has so far benefitted from the initiative.”

Also during his visit to the Dublin North Central constituency today, Minister Quinn visited Dominican College, Griffith Avenue, Our Lady Immaculate Junior and Senior National Schools, Darndale, and Marino Institute of Education.