The Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn T.D., today officially opened four new classrooms at St. Mochuo’s NS, Rathcoffey, Donadea, Naas, Co. Kildare.
Rathcoffey NS was one of the beneficiaries of the pre-fab replacement initiative 2012. Funding from the Department, with a grant in excess of €450,000, enabled them to build a permanent extension with four additional classrooms.
Speaking at the school, Minister Quinn, "The school now has a beautiful new extension with attractive learning spaces for all pupils in the school. I am sure it is with a great sense of pride that the teachers, principals and of course the pupils now look out and where there were prefabs before there are now these wonderful permanent classroom. These enhanced facilities should improve teaching and learning for all.”
The building project consisted of the removal of prefabs and the construction of four mainstream classrooms
There are 201 students enrolled at the school with a total of 16 staff, consisting of eight class teachers and three Resource/Learning Support Teachers, two Special Needs Assistants, two Secretarial and one Cleaner.
The Minister thanked the Principal, Eugene Riordan, and Eamonn Cunningham, Chairperson of the Board of management for their invitation to celebrate the official opening of the new classroom extension.
As part of an official visit to Kildare, Minister Quinn also paid a visit to St Conleth’s Infant and St. Conleth and Mary’s Primary School in Newbridge as well as to a new Gaelscoil in Maynooth.
St. Conleth’s Infant school caters for 348 boys and girls from Junior Infants to First class.
It has 25 full-time teachers, three Learning Support teachers, two Resource teachers, 4.5 Special Needs Assistants and two language Support teachers.
St. Conleth and Mary’s is a senior school catering for 377children from 2nd to 6th class. The Principal is supported by 18 class teachers, three SNA’s, a secretary and both schools share a caretaker.
Minister Quinn said, “Both of these schools are fortunate to have an enthusiastic and hardworking Parents Associations and pro-active Boards of Management who work tirelessly for the children of these schools”.
Minister Quinn also visited the newly completed Gaelscoil Uí Fhiach in Maynooth. 474 pupils are enrolled in the school. The new 16 classroom school project cost in excess of €3.2 million and was officially opened last week.