6 January 2015
By Tom Collins
tom@TheCork.ie
The Minister for Agriculture, Food, the Marine and Defence, Minister Simon
Coveney TD today praised the work being undertaken at Waterpark House, the
temporary building for the new Gaelcholáiste in Carrigaline.
The Minister made his comments as he toured the interim building with Chief
Executive of Cork Education and Training Board (Cork ETB), Mr. Ted Owens.
Cork ETB announced Waterpark House as the temporary premises for
Gaelcholáiste Charraig Uí Leighin in September 2014, whilst the planning
and building of the permanent €19 million campus is ongoing.
“I am very supportive of this project and I am pleased with the progress
which had been made in preparing Waterpark House for occupancy next
September. I know that there has been some concern regarding the new
Gaelcholáiste but I would like to assure everyone that this is just a
temporary solution and that the permanent campus for Gaelcholáiste Charraig
Uí Leighin is on track to open in 2017,” said Minister Simon Coveney TD.
“I would like to thank Minister Coveney for his support on this project.
Waterpark House is an absolutely perfect building and location for our
temporary Gaelcholáiste. The Department of Education and Skills has
sanctioned the project and made a grant of €50,000 available to assist in
the refurbishment of Waterpark House. The new school will open in September
2015 in order to meet the growing needs of the Carrigaline region and
enrolments are now being taken,” said Ted Owens, Chief Executive, Cork ETB.
“I will also be applying to the Department of Education and Skills for
permission to appoint a Principal and teaching staff in the coming months.
A fully inclusive curriculum is currently being developed by the Education
Officer of Cork ETB, Mr. John Fitzgibbons, in conjunction with the
temporary Manager Mr. Billy Reidy,” he added.
Cork ETB announced in June 2014 that they will build three new schools in
Carrigaline. The new schools, which will include a Gaelscoil, Gaelcholáiste
and a Sonas Junior primary school, will accommodate over 1,000 pupils when
completed with a total investment of €19 million.
Cork ETB will be patron of the second level Gaelcholáiste which will be
4,800 square metres in size and will accommodate up to 500 pupils. The
building will include 24 general classrooms as well as specialist
accommodation and a state of the art PE Hall.
