€3m extension to Ratoath National School opened

The new €3 million extension at Ratoath National School was officially opened by local TD Mary Wallace on Monday. The new building was blessed by the Bishop of Meath, Dr Michael Smith. Ms Wallace paid tribute to chairman, PJ Moran, and the board of management of the school for their efficient and effective management of the school and, in particular, of the building project from design to construction and all the queries that arose along the way. She also acknowledged the substantial work of the design team and the builders, Sammon Construction. The tendering process began in November 2008, the contract was awarded in September 2009 and the new buildings were occupied in September 2010. Deputy Wallace paid special tribute to the Bishop of Meath for the role that he and the Catholic Church has played in education in Ratoath, going back to the decision in the 1970s to purchase the extra land that gave us a total of nine acres on the Fairyhouse Road site, one of the largest primary school sites in the country and to Fr Gerry Stuart, parish priest. Deputy Wallace believes great credit is due to all of the staff and, in particular, to the special leadership shown by Maurice Kearney in the senior school and in the junior school by the present principal, Miriam Fox, and her predecessor, Pat Foley. “Today is a particularly special day for the junior school and for all the staff and pupils who endured the 'train track' prefabs over the years,†she said. The junior national school now has 10 extra classrooms and three special education tuition rooms along with an extension to the original GP room. Each school now has 20 mainstream classrooms, special needs rooms and fabulous GP halls, and each school can cater for 560 pupils. A former pupil of the school, Ms Wallace said it was a special honour and a day she would always remember. Her husband, Declan Gannon, and son, Tom, had both also attended the school, and Deputy Wallace said she had been involved in the parents' association, as had her father before her. She noted that this week's opening of the new buildings was just in time for the centenary celebrations of the school due to take place in 2011.