March 2002

Beggs Vows to Maintain Lobby for Roddensvale Special School

Local Ulster Unionist Assemblyman Roy Beggs MLA has expressed disappointment that Roddensvale Special School in Larne has not benefited in the new school building programme, which was announced last week. The East Antrim MLA has urged all local representatives and media to lobby the Department of Education to press the case for new school buildings at Roddensvale.

Roy Beggs MLA commented: -
"I toured Roddensvale recently with the Principal Mrs Lynas, and was shocked to see the state of the school buildings in which the teachers and children have to work. The buildings are prefabs built in the late 1960s which should have been replaced with modern, specially designed permanent buildings long ago. There is no question that there is a very good case to make for a new facility to be built at Roddensvale- pupil numbers have been steadily increasing and the need is great."

The UUP Assemblyman subsequently wrote to the Department, outlining the needs of Roddensvale and requesting that it be given priority in the next capital spending on buildings round.

"It is disappointing to see that Roddensvale has been overlooked on this occasion, however the fight must go on. I welcome the fact that the green light has been given to build a £5.6M new school to replace Hill Croft Special School in Newtownabbey, accommodating 116 children. This good news will hopefully be replicated at Roddensvale in the near future."

Mr Beggs said he would be writing again to the Minister and the Department reminding them of the case for new school buildings at Roddensvale and added;
"With plans being drawn up by Roddensvale to be put to the Department for approval, it is important that all public representatives in the Larne area speak with one voice and put their weight behind the plans. It is not enough to simply shout 'discrimination' at the Department of Education- a positive case should be put forward so that a modern facility can be built at Roddensvale to serve the needs of the entire community."

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