Progress on Ballinamore Community School development – Ellis

Local Fianna Fáil Senator John Ellis has welcomed the confirmation that Ballinamore Community College has been included in the latest round of Public Private Partnership schools to be offered to the market.

The news was announced by his colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills, Tánaiste Mary Coughlan TD.

"This is positive news for the development of this much needed facility in Ballinamore. The new school building will provide for the amalgamation of Fatima and Felim’s Secondary School and Ballinamore Vocational School.

"The new school will provide new accommodation for 400 students and will include seven classrooms, two lecture rooms, music and drama area, a maths and social studies room, as well as two science laboratories, art and craft, home economics and other specialist rooms.

"A state of the art PE hall will also be provided along with four hard play areas and a playing pitch.

"Subject to the tendering process, it is expected that construction will start in early 2012.

"Ballinamore has been waiting for many years for this school and Meánscoil Fatima suffered a separate, terrible setback earlier this year when it was destroyed by fire.

"I am delighted that the new Community College building has now been given the green light to advance. I’ve been working with the schools’ board of management and parents’ associations to secure the necessary funding for some time now. Credit is due to all the people involved in Ballinamore, they have worked very hard to get this facility for the town and while I know they would have liked to have had this news sooner, I’m glad that it is now being put out to tender," concluded Senator John Ellis.

The news was announced by his colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills, Tánaiste Mary Coughlan TD.

“This is positive news for the development of this much needed facility in Ballinamore. The new school building will provide for the amalgamation of Fatima and Felim’s Secondary School and Ballinamore Vocational School.

“The new school will provide new accommodation for 400 students and will include seven classrooms, two lecture rooms, music and drama area, a maths and social studies room, as well as two science laboratories, art and craft, home economics and other specialist rooms.

“A state of the art PE hall will also be provided along with four hard play areas and a playing pitch.

“Subject to the tendering process, it is expected that construction will start in early 2012.

“Ballinamore has been waiting for many years for this school and Meánscoil Fatima suffered a separate, terrible setback earlier this year when it was destroyed by fire.

“I am delighted that the new Community College building has now been given the green light to advance. I’ve been working with the schools’ board of management and parents’ associations to secure the necessary funding for some time now. Credit is due to all the people involved in Ballinamore, they have worked very hard to get this facility for the town and while I know they would have liked to have had this news sooner, I’m glad that it is now being put out to tender,” concluded Senator John Ellis.