The new €3million extension at Ratoath National School has been officially opened by local TD Mary Wallace.

A former pupil of the school Mary Wallace said it was a special honour and a day she would always remember.

Mrs Wallace's husband Declan Gannon and son Tom had both also attended the school, Mary had been involved in the Parents Association as had her father before her.

In the past 5 years Ratoath has seen over €20 million spent on school buildings and every penny of it well spent said MrsWallace, €13 million on Ratoath College, €4 ½ million on the Senior Nationals School new building and now €3 million on the Junior National school extension project incl an extension to the 1911 building and an extension to the 2006 Senior school, catering for up to 2000 pupils, 1120 primary and 870 post primary.

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Mrs Wallace thanked all the Education Ministers and Departmental officials that met with her and the Ratoath team over the years in order to advance these projects, incl Mary Hannifin who opened the Senior School in 2006 and was advised by us on the day of the opening that we would need the extensions that we are officially opening today and Batt 0Keeffe who gave us the go ahead for these extensions in September 2008.

The Junior National School now has 10 extra classrooms and 3 special education tuition rooms along with an extension to the original GP room.

Each school now has 20 mainstream classrooms, special needs rooms and fabulous G.P. Halls, and each school can cater for 560 pupils. Mary Wallace described the buildings as amongst the best in the country.

As a parent, Mrs Wallace thanked the Parents Association for their great work over the years in supporting the school and in playing such a supportive role in the education of Ratoath pupils.

(CD/GK)