Green light for Longwood school site purchase

Meath VEC has been given approval to complete the purchase of a 10-acre site for St Fintina"s Post-Primary School in Longwood. Work on the new primary school for Longwood is already well underway and the secondary school will be located on an adjacent site at Clonguiffin, in a campus-style arrangement. The site for St Fintina"s has already been zoned for community and education use and, once the purchase of the site is completed, the next stage will be to get approval from the Department of Education to appoint a design team. Meath VEC CEO Peter Kierans said negotiations had been at an advanced stage and he welcomed the news that they can now complete the deal. He said: 'On behalf of the VEC, I am delighted we have made this very significant advance for the Longwood school and community. I want to thank all of those who played a part in securing this approval. 'Once we have secured the site, the next step is for the Department to give the go-ahead to appoint a design team who will then take of the project,' said Mr Kierans. However, he added that the new school is still a couple of years away. Transport Minister Noel Dempsey welcomed the news that the funding has been approved to purchase the site for St Fintina"s. He said: 'I am delighted that, even in these times of major economic constraint, this funding has been approved to construct a much-needed new school building in St Fintina"s. With the enormous growth in the Longwood area in recent years, I know just how needed this new school building is. From speaking to parents, staff and students of St Fintina"s, I know that the existing school building is no longer sufficient for current or future needs.' He said the funding announced will create much-needed local jobs that, in the current climate, are very welcome. Local Fianna Fail councillor Seamus Murray said: 'This is great news for everybody, particularly the principal, Tom Stack, the teaching staff and the pupils who are working in extremely difficult conditions at the moment. Everybody involved should be complimented for their work in bringing the project this far.' Cllr Murray said it was a combined effort from Meath VEC, St Fintina"s board of management and parents" association, the principal of the school and his staff and pupils. Cllr Murray said he had always been confident that this announcement would come sooner rather than later and said he had worked hard behind the scenes to ensure that this happened. Last September, Meath VEC was told to halt negotiations on the site and not to conclude the purchase following budget cutbacks. However, in March this year, the VEC was told it could re-enter negotiations on the purchase of the site. At present, some of the students of St Fintina"s are accommodated in the permanent school structure but more than half are being accommodated in prefabs on a confined two-acre site in Longwood. The school does not have any playing pitches and has to move off-site for football matches. St Fintina"s is currently full with 160 students but does not have an assembly hall. Mr Kierans said that the new school site is a fine location with an elevation to the back that makes it an attractive site with character. He said the primary school would be on the adjacent site, making a very attractive school campus, and added that there would be sufficient room for a games area.