Further investment in Northern Ireland's schools' estate is vital to the future.

The Stormont Education Minister, Caitríona Ruane, has cut the first sod to commence the new-build project for St Joseph's Primary School, Madden, Armagh and she used the opportunity to explain cutbacks to the Stromont Executive budget and its impact on her Department's own spending.

The Sinn Fein Minister said: "St Joseph's has come a long way from the initial school, back in the 1800s, comprising of two classrooms heated by an open fire.

"I am honoured to be here today and I know many people have worked hard to ensure that this day became a reality," she said.

"The start of the construction work here represents an investment of £1.3m by my Department in the future of this area and its community.

-- Advertisement --

"Since taking office in May 2007, 50 major capital school projects have been completed. In the two full years I have been Minister, I have spent over 99% of the capital funding made available to me," she said.

"I understand many schools are waiting for their own projects to progress.

"We can however be in no doubt that we are facing a very difficult financial climate with many difficult decisions ahead.

"Currently my priority is to protect frontline services, that is the teaching going on within our classrooms.

"I will continue to press for additional funding to progress the schools' modernisation programme in order to address the long-term under investment in our schools' estate," she insisted.

"This is however a bright day for St Joseph's and the start of a new era in the school's history.

"Twenty five years ago a group of school principals from the Keady area, including the principal of this school, showed similar foresight when they stated their rejection of the 11 plus and simply stopped using it.

"As a result this area now has one of the most successful post-primary schools on its doorstep, St Patrick's High School, Keady.

"I would like to thank the Principal, Paud Loughran and the Board of Governors for their kind invitation and warm welcome.

"I hope I get the opportunity to come back and see the new building once it is completed," the Executive Minister promised, noting that St Joseph's is a maintained co-educational primary school and that construction work on the new school project is due to be completed in January 2012.

(BMcC/KMcA)