O’Dowd turns down proposal for nursery unit at St Mary’s Primary School, Banbridge

Education Minister, John O’Dowd, has turned down a development proposal for the establishment of an additional statutory nursery unit at St Mary’s Primary School, Banbridge.
~ Thursday, 2 February 2012

Explaining the reasons for his decision, Mr O’Dowd commented: “My Department faces significant financial pressures, particularly on its front-line schools budget. Given these current budget restrictions, it is important that we maximise the impact of available pre-school resources and avoid unnecessary over-provision or duplication.

“Every time I approve a development proposal for a statutory nursery school, it creates extra pressure on the front-line schools’ budget programme. However, I am legally bound to make a decision on any development proposal presented to my Department, in doing so I consider each proposal on the basis of all the information pertinent to the individual case.

“In this instance there are already sufficient pre-school places in the area and if approved the new unit would potentially displace existing good quality pre-school provision, on that basis and the restriction on my departmental budget, I could not endorse this proposal.”

Notes to editors:

1. St Mary’s Primary School is a maintained, co-educational primary school located in Banbridge.
2. On 21 April 2011, the Southern Education and Library Board (SELB) published Development Proposal No 260 proposing the establishment of an additional nursery unit at St Mary’s Primary School, to increase enrolment to 52 full-time places, with effect from 1 September 2011, or as soon as possible thereafter.
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