Glantane National School has this week received an additional €100,000 from the Department of Education & Skills to assist in extending its prime educational facility.
The North Cork School is expanding by four additional classrooms to cater for the increasing needs of its pupils. The project which will cost in excess of €400,000 is to be part funded from the recently announced €30m funding allocated within the Government €200,000 had previously been awarded to the project as part of the Department of Education & Skills Capital Plan for 2010.
Welcoming the announcement, local Cllr. John Paul O Shea (Ind) said “this is a very positive development for the pupils and staff of Glantane National School. The Board of Management with the full support of the Parent Association of the school has been liaising diligently with the Department of Education & Skills in recent months in order to secure the appropriate funding to proceed with this much needed extension. The recent allocation of €100,000 now ensures that we can proceed with the construction of four additional classrooms which is so badly needed for the future education of the pupils in Glantane National School”.
The allocation is part of a targeted programme using reallocated funds from the Department of Education & Skills which will enhance existing schools, address building defects and most importantly, provide immediate, labour-intensive employment in localities throughout the country. Glantane National School met this criteria ideally as it had secured all the appropriate requirements for the extension to proceed such as planning permission, design etc. and in effect, the extension was classed as a “shovel ready” project.
Cllr. O’ Shea concluded “works have commenced already such is the enthusiasm within the parish. A specific fundraising committee have been set up in order to raise the outstanding monies for the extension and I have no doubt, this project can succeed now, given this recent allocation. Glantane National School will have 166 pupils enrolled by September 2011 and we hope we can have the much needed new facilities available for use for the start of the school year”.
