Deadlock is over as St Joseph’s agreement is reached

SITE WILL BE USED FOR SOCIAL HOUSING

AN AGREEMENT has finally been reached between the St Michael’s Parish Finance Committee and Wexford County Council in relation to the development of St Joseph’s old school site, pictured, in Wexford Street, Gorey.

The announcement was made by the parish committee yesterday and relates to the provision of what it says is ‘much needed housing for the community’ on the site of the old school. In a statement the committee said: ‘A lot of careful and skilled consideration on the part of the parish has taken place over the past few years and we would like to thank Wexford County Council officials for their measured engagement throughout the process.’

The statement also said that the priests of the parish and the finance committee members

will ‘continue to work in the best interests of the parishioners’.

Cllr Malcolm Byrne welcomed the news and said it is brilliant for the town. ‘This is very positive news that agreement has been reached between Wexford County Council and St Michael’s Parish, Gorey, that the site will revert to the Council and the Council has committed that the land will be used primarily for social and sheltered housing,’ he said.

‘I would pay tribute to those who negotiated the deal on both sides in the interests of Gorey and meeting local housing needs,’ he added. ‘There are still a few hurdles for the council to jump but we are committed to meeting social housing needs on this site.’

‘The St Joseph’s site was a long lease from the council for a school and agreement is now in place for the site to revert.’

Cllr Byrne has raised issues relating to the state of the site since St Joseph’s school moved to Creagh and he said he was glad that a resolution has been found.