August 2015 start date for new Rossmar School build

The Education Minister visited the school in May 2012, and commented to the Principal, Mr Brian McLaughlin that the current facilities are “not fit for purpose.”

The following month, the Minister announced that the local special educational needs school was to be one of 18 major “new capital schemes”. An economic appraisal has now been carried out and while the amount of money required for a new build is likely to be more than the £6.4 million originally anticipated, an estimated commencement date has now been announced.

A spokesperson for the Department of Education told the Sentinel: “A new build project for Rossmar School, Limavady was one of 18 major new capital schemes announced by the Minister in June 2012.

“The current position with the Rossmar School project is that an economic appraisal has been approved at a cost of £8.3million and the Western Education and Library Board is progressing a competition in the Official Journal of the European Union to appoint a professional team to take the project forward. The estimated start date on site is August 2015.”

The news has been welcomed by the Education Minister John O’Dowd’s Sinn Féin party colleague, local MLA Cathal Ó hOisín: “Rossmar School in Limavady provides a great service to children with disabilities but the building has become unsuitable for the needs of the children. It is important that all of our children are given the opportunity to maximise their educational experience in modern fit for purpose facilities and this new build will ensure that children attending Rossmar School can do that.”

After Education Minister John O’Dowd’s visit to the school last year, the Principal Mr Brian McLaughlin said: “He actually commented to me that the place was not fit for purpose.” Mr McLaughlin explained the need for a new build: “One of the issues with the place is the set of 13 concrete steps which are the main route of access to a lot of vital facilities in the school. The children with profound and multiple learning difficulties and those in wheelchairs cannot access those facilities. They are being excluded and that is against the very ethos of this school

A Western Education and Library Board (WELB) spokesperson said: “The WELB will be in a position by April 2014 to appoint a team of consultants to design and plan the new build. With regard to the current position of the Rossmar School project, an economic appraisal has been approved at a cost of £8.3 million and the WELB is progressing a competition in the Official Journal of the European Union to appoint a professional team to take the project forward. The estimated start date on site is August 2015 with estimated completion of the new build school in Mid 2017.”