Scahill welcomes new building approval for local school 

Scoil Chroi Naofa, Ballinasloe has been approved to progress for 16 new classrooms and three Special Education Needs classrooms.

The school already serves nearly 300 pupils and once completed the new development will comfortably cater for its numbers.

Senator Gareth Scahill welcomed the news, highlighting the positive advocacy work the school has already done to receive DEIS plus status.

He highlighted the numerous visits paid to the school by local representatives and also that the issue was raised by himself and former Senator Aishling Dolan who raised the issue many time in the Seanad.

“This has been something that the school community have been working hard on for many years and I am delighted to see their efforts pay off. I inherited this issue from my predecessor, Aishling Dolan, who worked with Scoil Chroi Naofa and really put in the groundwork.

“In September, I visited the school with the Minister of Education, Hildegarde Naughton, Deputy Martin Daly and local Cllr Alan Harney. We were given a tour of the school and discussed with the school’s leadership why planning for a new building was so necessary for them” 

“I am delighted that the visit proved to be a success with the news today that they have been approved for a new school building that I know once built will be hugely appreciated by the school’s staff, students, parents and the wider school community,” Senator Scahill concluded.