Wilson inspects work at primary school damaged in arson attack

Finance Minister Sammy Wilson today visited the site of Whitehouse Primary School which was extensively damaged in an arson attack in July.

Speaking during his visit to the school in Newtownabbey, Mr Wilson expressed the community’s sadness at the attack. He praised the swift response of the North Eastern Education and Library Board, DFP’s Central Procurement Directorate (CPD) and contractor Northstone Limited in securing the site, demolishing the damaged school and carrying out essential ancillary works to facilitate access to the temporary accommodation at the adjacent Community School.

The Minister said: "I would like to offer my personal thanks to all involved for the contribution they made in ensuring that the catastrophic events of July have in no way deprived the children of Whitehouse Primary School of the opportunity to begin their new academic year as planned.

"CPD’s timely response in assisting to provide facilities at the nearby Newtownabbey Community School has helped ensure that the pupils’ education will not be interrupted.

"I am also pleased that the contractor’s work to promptly clear the site of the old school will enable work on a new building to be started without unnecessary delay.

"The new school will be built as part of the Northern Ireland Schools Modernisation Programme, which is seeing record levels of investment in improving our education estate and helping prepare our young people for the future.

"The new building will help the school deliver a valuable educational service to the community well into the future.”

The North Eastern Education and Library Board already had plans well-advanced to design and build a new school at the existing site. The NEELB commenced the procurement of the new primary school, valued in the region of £3.3million, in February 2009.

Notes to editors:

Media enquiries only to DFP Communications Office on 028 9052 7278 or 028 9052 27375. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned. Photographs from the Minister's visit can be obtained by contacting the DFP Communications Office on 028 9052 7278.