Loreto a step nearer after ‘topping out’
A ‘ topping out’ ceremony for Wexford’s new Loreto College took place at the Ballynagee site, in Clonard, yesterday (Monday).
Minister Paul Kehoe was given the topping out honours by laying a ceremonial brick at the highest point of the new school.
Dermot O’Reilly, from InspiredSpaces, which delivers educational transformation through the government’s Building Schools for the Future programme, opened the ceremony by welcoming everyone and introducing Micheál Sammon from the Sammon Group, who are building the school, the first new school to be built in the town in 150 years.
‘I would like to welcome members of the board of management, Department of Education, members of the media and Minister Paul Kehoe. The topping out ceremony is to mark the milestone of getting this far with the new building,’ said Mr Sammon.
He invited the Minister up to the highest point of the building where he laid the first brick of the school, which is due to open later this year.
Minister Kehoe congratulated everyone who was involved in the process of bringing the new school, which will accommodate more than 900 students, to the town.
‘ The Loreto has a bright future ahead in education. Wexford is bursting for new schools and I will work towards getting them. People should be able to attend their school locally and should not have to travel far for education,’ said Minister Kehoe.
Sean Court from the National Development Finance Agency praised the Sammon Group for ‘doing such a great job so far’.
The Sammon Group project is one of six schools being built in Ireland as part of the Schools PPP Programme Bundle 5, with other projects in Bray, Carlow and Kells.
The new Loreto building provides over 9,000 square metres of state-of-the-art facilities over a combination of single, two- and three-storey sections. In addition to the 38 classrooms, there are a number of specialised teaching areas including science laboratories, music room and a fitness suite.
The PE hall has been designed to provide community and out of hours access making it of great benefit to the wider community and not just the school. There will also be a number of external play areas comprising of a grass GAA pitch, a three-court play area and a synthetic sports pitch. The new Loreto is the first new school to be built from scratch in the town since the 1870s.