Taoiseach turns sod as Greystones Community College breaks ground
Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board and Greystones Community College were delighted to welcome Taoiseach Simon Harris to turn the sod for the construction of a new school building for Greystones Community College on 23rd August 2024.
The new building will be located on an 11.5 acre site at Hawkins Wood, Greystones and will cater for the schools ever expanding student population being built to accommodate 1,000 pupils. The new building for Greystones will include over 50 classrooms along with a 1,000 square metre PE hall, gym and outdoor sports facilities. The school will be equipped with state of the art practical and specialist rooms for Technology, Art, Science, Graphics, Home Economics and Construction Studies as well as having sufficient accommodation for a number of classrooms to support students with additional educational needs.
The project is being delivered under the Department of Education’s Design and Build programme. BAM Ireland, the largest multinational construction business operating nationally are the appointed contractors, following a public tender and consultation. BAM Ireland have expertise and experience in the delivery of many of Ireland’s flagship infrastructural and building projects.
An Taoiseach Simon Harris said:
“I am delighted to attend this groundbreaking ceremony for Greystones Community College’s ambitious new school project. The new building represents a significant investment in delivering state-of-the-art permanent accommodation for Greystones’s newest school. The Department of Education has affirmed the critical importance of delivering this post-primary educational facility. The new school building will enable school’s management to cater for the increasing demand for access to post-primary education here in Greystones. It is great for me as Taoiseach to be able to turn the sod and deliver this flagship building project.”
“I would like to commend the team at Greystones Community College and Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board for their tireless commitment to this project and for ensuring that this school of excellence will continue to enrich, empower and inspire Greystones students for many years to come.”
Deirdre Keyes, Chief Executive of Kildare and Wicklow ETB, said
“KWETB is delighted with the commencement of this fantastic new flagship school building for Greystones Community College. I would like to thank the Department of Education, the Senior Leadership Team, the Board of Management and the parent body for all of the support in reaching this important milestone for the College and for the wider Greystones community. I would also like to extend a sincere thank you to our Taoiseach, Simon Harris, for his attendance today, it is indeed a great honour for us to have him to officially break ground on the permanent building. Upon completion, this new school building will provide the opportunity for Greystones Community College to continue to flourish in line with the core values of the College and the ETB. Since it’s establishment, the College has become central to the Greystones community, by providing for the development of all students in a caring and inclusive environment while always striving for and achieving excellence in education”.
School Principal Ruairí Farrell acknowledged that
“this is a very exciting time for all members of the College community. This new state of the art building with the capacity to cater for 1,000 students will add greatly to the excellent standard of teaching and learning that currently exists and will afford further educational opportunities to our students. Over the last four years since our inception, Greystones Community College has quickly earned the confidence of the community as a school that delivers the highest standards of educational excellence as students have achieved notable success in the areas of academic achievement, music and drama, BT Young Scientist and Technology competitions, Entrepreneur and enterprise programmes as well as various sporting successes. There exists a strong tradition of participation and success in a broad range of activities and competitions. The advancement of the project will be a significant boost to the families of primary school students in Greystones and Delgany who wish to avail of multidenominational secondary education”.
Luke Gibbons, BAM Ireland Regional Managing Director, said:
“BAM is delighted to be working on this important project, which will deliver a top-class space for learning for generations of Wicklow students to come. The sustainability agenda of this project aligns very well with BAM’s own strategic objectives of building a sustainable tomorrow and enhancing the lives of the people we touch with our projects. We look forward to working collaboratively with the College on this vital infrastructure for the Wicklow region and to supporting the Department of Education in the delivery of its ambitious Design and Build programme.”