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7th December 2016

NI Education Minister Visits Parkhall Integrated College

NI Education minister Weir briefed on Parkhall School progress.

Northern Ireland education minister Peter Weir met with senior O’Hare & McGovern management as he visited construction work at the new Parkhall Integrated College in Antrim.

Manging director Martin Lennon briefed him on progress as they toured the site accompanied by the principal George Beattie, members of the board of governors, senior officials at the Education Authority, and local members of the Stormont Assembly.

Gavin McGuirk, projects manager and Peter McKeown, the contracts manager were also on hand to answer any queries.

Mr Weir said:

“All new builds can be a long and torturous process, but it’s great to see the bricks and mortar. Seeing is believing and I’m very much looking forward to the completion. It’s tremendous. It’s very exciting.”

Work, which brings together the school’s two campuses and which will provide state of the art accommodation for around 700 pupils, is due to be completed towards the end of next year.

It is the only non-selective school in the town, and staff believe the £15m development at Steeple Road will help halt the drain of Antrim children to other schools outside the Borough.

The Education Authority’s chairperson Sharon O’Connor and chief executive Gavin Boyd as well as south Antrim Democratic Unionist Party MLA’s Pam Cameron and Trevor Clarke were among the visiting delegation who also heard Mervyn Alexander, chairman of the board of governors speak of his hopes of increased numbers once the new school opens.

He said:

“It’s a very exciting time.”

Mrs Cameron, two of whose children, are former pupils at Parkhall, was clearly impressed by the work. She said:

“It means an awful lot to see the progression.”

Ms O’Connor, is the first chair of the Education Authority which took over from the existing five education and library board whose role is to oversee the project to the time of delivery.

She said:

“It is nice to be part of such a nice experience.”