Galway Bay fm newsroom – Plans to expand Athenry Boys’ National School have taken a step forward.
Galway East TD and Minister of State for OPW and Flood Relief, Seán Canney says Athenry Boys’ School is part of group of schools which the Department of Education and Skills has asked the OPW to assist with.
Minister Canney says the OPW has assessed tenders, and is in the process of finalising a design team, which is expected to be completed within a matter of days.
Once a team is appointed, the OPW can then continue with the scheme development and it is hoped that approval will be secured from the Department of Education to seek planning permission before the end of the year.
The project at the Boys NS in Athenry involves a four-classroom extension, a new GP hall and ancillary accommodation.
Minister Canney says the involvement of the OPW was necessary because the school extension would have seriously impinged on the hurling pitch at the school.
This necessitated the OPW to provide land on an adjacent site to allow the school to expand without affecting the hurling pitch.