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Published: 26 January 2011

A KERRY principal is hoping his school’s inclusion on the latest list of building projects to make progress this year will prove fruitful.

St Brendan’s National School in Blennerville, Co Kerry, was told before the 2007 general election that a design team would be appointed that year, only for funding to fall through after applications were sought.

But principal Michael O’Connor has his fingers crossed that things get off the ground this time around as St Brendan’s is one of 103 schools told this week by Education Minister Mary Coughlan that work will begin on appointing a design team during 2011.

"I’m looking every day at the site the department bought in 2005 and wondering will the school ever be built, but we were confident after pressure last year from [Fianna Fáil TD and former Ceann Comhairle] John O’Donoghue," he said in response to Monday night’s announcement.

"It’s fantastic to be on the list but I’ll really only know things are moving along when I see the design team appointed," he said.

More than 70 other schools which have previously not been progressed were also told they would begin the first stage in the building programme this year.

Although opposition parties have described the announcement of more than 400 schools which are expected to move to the next stage in the process as a political stunt, Ms Coughlan has insisted the annual programme is unveiled around this time every year.

Full Story: www.examiner.ie