Enterprise centre plans for old school
AS one of his final acts as outgoing chairperson of Wexford County Council, Cllr Michael Sheehan appealed to the Minister for support and for the creation of an enterprise and community centre in the old St Joseph’s National School building on Michael Street, New Ross.
Cllr Sheehan said: ‘This project would be a collaborative effort with the full engagement of our local ETB, Fabrication Lab, LEO and FoodHub to meet the needs of the area. The school, in the middle of town, has been vacant for almost 10 years and would revive the town centre in the post-Covid economy.’
Cllr Sheehan said he has enlisted and secured a supporting budget from Wexford County Council to initiate this project by lease or acquisition.
‘As you may be aware, New Ross is an area of high unemployment and educational disadvantage. This building would be a job-creation and educational facility for the town. As this would be a flagstone project in the revival of our economy, I would appreciate your endorsement by outlining if you have any interest in or objection to the building being transferred locally from the patrons for usage and revitalise our town centre,’ Cllr Sheehan said.
St Joseph’s NS closed to pupils in June 2016 when it was amalgamated with the new schools in Bawnmore. The 2016/2017 school year saw the transfer of the pupils of Michael St N.S., St. Joseph’s and CBS to Bunscoil Nic Amhlaidh/Catherine McAuley Junior School and Bunscoil Rís/Edmund Rice Senior School.